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2010-03-31

Imaginary Etsy

etsy4


I seem to have gotten lost on the way to the rodeo when I showed up to the final exam of my night course wearing this. No one notices what I wear though, the teacher dresses like a used car salesman and steals all the attention with his glitzy gold jewelry and pointy loafers.


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etsy5

etsy7

etsy


Boots? thrifted
Jeans? Gap
Tie-dye shirt? h&m (Matt's)
Denim shirt? thrifted
Plaid blazer? Gap, thrifted
Scarf? h&m, won from The Small Fabric of My Life (thanks again!)


A lot of pattern mixing and layering going on here but my shoes are the favourite part of my outfit. I also scored these at the Salvation Army 50% off sale in Winnipeg. So many details to love about these boots but they were labelled as a size 8.5 so I never thought that they would fit. Yet, I couldn't put the boots back and I bought them to resell. The Cinderella moment happened when I got back to Hamilton and was trying them on for fun...
Yes... so about buying stuff so I can sell it... apparently I have an imaginary Etsy store... If it's awesome and it doesn't fit me, I might still take it home because I can't just leave it. But then I get too overwhelmed to commit to selling clothing online...
Maybe it's the spring fever or the fact that Christen just got some stuff in her life figured out, but lately I can't stop thinking about where in the heck I am going with my life. It's not true that money is the root of all evil... thinking is. My brain hurts...
Most of the time, I assure you I am a fun friend, maybe even too fun... But during these times of over analyzing my life and its direction, I sympathize with my friends who bounce their happy babies on their knees and are forced to once again listen to my rantings about growing up. I think there is a two-year grace period after graduation when you are allowed to make rash decisions and be unsure... after that, it's time to get over yourself and make it work. In one month it will be 4 years (!) since I finished my degree in Fashion Design and I'm not sure I'm any closer to figuring it all out... If my life were a movie, the happy ending would be where I 'follow my heart and do what makes me happy'. Which is bullshit because there would definitely be a complicated sequel. Besides... what is happy? I love my job as a landscaper but am I challenging myself enough? Will I still love it in 10 years? Is there room to grow? Should I sell my soul and start my own landscaping company? Should I advance in a management direction and lose what I love best about my job (being outside) but gain new skills? Should I start an etsy store (because Etsy, Modcloth and a fashion blogger is the most natural threesome)? Will I love it (selling clothes online, not the threesome...)? Is selling vintage clothing online a natural business opportunity for me or is it already on the verge of being overplayed? And what am I doing with my degree?
That is the edited list of questions that I ask myself; there are many more... It's selfish to think that I'm the only girl in this world struggling to find out where she belongs. I know there are plenty of people dreaming of escape while they put in hours every week at their not-quite perfect job. I promise you, I won't rant and rave about this subject too often on my blog... it's a little too personal. Besides, this weekend promises to bring sunshine and unnaturally warm temperatures. Thankfully that will distract me from my inner battles as I will need to find the answer to the most pressing question of all; what should I wear when I debut my bare legs this year?

39 comments :

brooke said...

im all about combining prints and textures, so i looove this look! and im a recent discoverer of your blog..adding it to my google reader, most definitely.

www.keepfashion.wordpress.com

my healthy twist said...

i love your post, you brought up a lot of good things, things i think about all the time too. I know you will find the answers to your questions! I love this look too, fab boots, and I always love plaid!! xoxo

Raquelita said...

That question is at the heart of so many existential crises. I don't think Etsy is overplayed, as I am on there all the damn time. I wish you the best of luck with making these decisions, and I can't wait to see what you will debut when you distract yourself!

Natalie said...

I'm totally digging all of the layering here! It looks fab, and I love that coral-y color. Great shoes...and I hear you on the Imaginary Etsy. Hehe, I have one too! :-)

Sidewalk Chic said...

What an honest post -- I hope you're able to find the right answers for you. And don't feel discouraged about opening an Etsy -- I think it would be a cool project, one that you could customize to being a part-time or full-time gig.

I love the textures in this outfit, and those boots are amazing.

Destined For Now said...

You have a great sense of style. All of your followers are here for a reason. If you sell striking pieces that you would wear some people might be inclined to purchase them...especially if you styled them in photographs first. It won't hurt you to try. :)

Louise (Fifth Sparrow) said...

you really did steal all the good thrift finds from MB! Those boots are pretty awesome, I can't wait to see your other spoils!

I hope the thinking goes well, I'm in no position to offer advice... but I can definitely relate! When you're all happy and sorted let me know how you did it!
xxx

girlxoxo said...

Love how colorful you look today. As for the life crisis, I'm sure you'll get to where you're supposed to be in life, at the time you're supposed to be there :-)

I remember being in full crisis mode after I got my degree and job, because I needed work papers that somehow got lost in bureaucracy - and there was seemingly no way for the situation to be resolved - I tried everything I possibly could and then some, before I realized that I had a golden opportunity to enjoy some time off while I could and use the time to help others instead of worrying & stressing all the time (absolutely no help). In the end it all worked out.

Hannah said...

I guess the nike shorts must be a southern thing. I'll have to ask my cousin who goes to school in Iowa if its prevelent there too? Hmm...

And you're right! The sloppy/hungover/didn't shower ponytail. I knew I was missing somethng!

p.s.
looooove those shoes. you found them thrifting?? Lucky duck.

LyddieGal said...

I love all your layers, and your teacher sounds like a nut!!

Yes, so many people don't know what they want to do with themselves, and on top of that, are always changing their minds -- so why not give an etsy store a try?

Chic on the Cheap

Le Quaintrelle said...

I love the layering! The shirt and blazer go so well together.

Nadine said...

Hey baby - love the mixture of patterns and colours!

Re: Existential Angst - Try stuff. See what works. Ask yourself, 'what's the worst that could happen?'. I'm always trying new things and jettisoning the bits that don't work out. When I first started working for myself I said 'yes' to everything. Then I got more established and had to learn to say no! And I can totally see the appeal of being outside landscaping all day . . .

Sharon Lei said...

This really is a great look!! All the mix of colors and patterns really compliment one another... and you look fab. :) Ha ha about your teacher.. I have the funniest picture painted in my head..

xx Love & Aloha

piglet said...

Sounds like a quarter-life-crisis to me! And I should know, I'm still suffering from mine!
Oh, and I do the same thing with thrifted stuff, then try to sell it on Trademe(New Zealand Ebay) always forgetting how much I hate photographing, writing it up and dealing with hopeless buyers!
I'm sure Etsy is better though because it's not an auction. (Sorry for long ramble...)

Linda said...

Maybe eventually at some point when we get together we can finally discuss this etsy thing.

Man spring brings weird vibes...

Celine said...

Ah, man, I totally know where you're coming from. I've been out of college for 7...7! years and still haven't figured out shit. I know I've always been into fashion and I do write for a couple of fashion blogs but I make no money doing that. I've thought about opening an online store but like you, asked myself if that's too played out now. Sigh. I envy people who have everything all figured out. We'll get there :)

flnw.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I so love this outfit. You have pulled off the mixing prints and patterns.

It is so hard trying to decide exactly what to do. I always wish someone would just tell me what I should do, or that I had a crystal ball.

I did take the plunge this year and am doing something I love and it has been great. My business is small, but I couldn't be happier. I hope you figure it out! Good luck!

Dorky Medievalist said...

I think that loving your job is a gift, so love your job even if it doesn't match your degree. I guess you may have to think about whether you will love it in 10 years, but a lot can go down in 10 years. And I think your blog is fab, both as a showcase of your mad skillz as your own creative stylist AND as a designer and writer of the blog itself for which you have a rapt on-line audience who delight in your excellent eye for fashion and design. And I seem to remember a recent post where you showed off a gorgeous bridesmaid dress you were designing and making, so I think you are using your degree, to a degree. Does it matter that your degree isn't the main breadwinner?

Anyway, I don't know you and I don't mean to be all advise-y, but I just want to thank you for your blog. I look forward to seeing what you put together, where you found it, and where in the Hammer you are going to photograph it. It's a moment out of my own career stresses that I look forward to, and that means something to me. I hope it means a little something to you.

Secondhand Stella said...

I'm starting to feel like the selling vintage on Etsy thing is a bit overplayed, but you always find great stuff thrifting so it might be worth a shot. Or what about making custom dresses?

I like the mix of colors and prints in this outfit.

I am scared to debut my pasty legs!!!

Anonymous said...

I've been in the workforce for twelve years and STILL don't really know where I'll end up, career-wise. I asked my husband about it the other day, mulling the idea of a backup plan, and he reminded me that no one can plan for future career changes. You never know what life is going to bring you, so you have to just go with the flow. I'm not much for flow myself, but I think he's right.

Try to do something that interests you, and let it unfold before you. If you can.

kanishk said...

I love the layering! The shirt and blazer go so well together.
home jobs without registration

What Would a Nerd Wear said...

the other day, my mom (who is 55) said to me "i still don't know what i want to be when i grow up." nevertheless, she has done lots of things over the years that have been rewarding or interesting or enjoyable.
anyway, i still sympathize because it's stressful to think about what you want to do with your life and where you're going (i feel this way ALL the time).
on the plus side, your pattern mixing and layers are cooler than cool.

Anonymous said...

oh, you're in good company. There's a time whenever I get wrapped up in my head that my hubs will smile at me and tell me that's enough. I take a deep breath, and I always flash on that line from the famous "Wear Sunscreen" speech: "The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year- olds I know still don't." And if you asked my Mom, who has been ageless for a while now, she doesn't have a clue either. But, breathe deep, love those around you, and keep on chasing your interests.

Now, I'm going to go see if I can do this myself ... :o)

Nana Erin said...

I love love love this outfit. All of it.

I also love your imaginary Etsy store and shop there ALL the time.

I hate my job. I really really do. And I'm not sure what to do about it. So. I'm sure we will figure out something at some point.

WendyB said...

Hilarious description of the teacher.

If you love a job now and you're satisfied now, I don't see why you'd be worried about whether you'll still love in 10 years. Unless you have other goals that you prefer to achieve in those 10 years. But if you're happy, you'll do something till you don't like it anymore and then you can change direction. Nothing is forever, even when we want it to be.

yiqin; said...

The blazer & shoes go so well together <3

Taylor Sterling said...

these shots are beautiful! I love the blazer!!

Laura HH said...

I hope you are very very proud. Laila is sitting on my lap while I surf the net. She recited "shoes shoes shoes" while pointing at your pic. When I blocked your pick by opening the comment box she decided to rearrange my hair.

Suchbigdreams said...

I can relate, I had such a crisis last semester with what I was going to do- I'm in business school and I don't like it. Somewhere between finance and accounting and the damn snobs in the classes, I realized I had no idea what I wanted to do. Now I am going to a different CITY, taking international relations, and leaving everything behind. You just have to make the decision and take the plunge... and not listen too much to what everyone else tells you to do. Good luck, and you'll survive the quarter life crisis!

John R. Tate said...

Hello from Zone 10b (Zone 10a on the north side of the house),

Thirty years ago, fed up with schooling, and a year from graduation, I thought I should go into photography instead of landscape architecture. My dad asked me that snowy evening when was that last time I took a photo. I couldn’t answer him. Now I’m doing high-end swimming pools, tricked-out outdoor kitchens, tropical landscapes AND commenting on fashion. I’ve traveled the world for work and worked on my unpublished novels on the planes. Should I have been a photographer?

I have no training in fashion yet I’ve designed prom dresses and been drug along a half dozen times to bridal stores. I can’t tell you how many interiors I’ve done. I just finished a $450K addition for a client, not a shrub in sight. If you have any skill in design (and I think you do), don’t think it stops at the threshold from the cutting room. When you have an opinion on EVERYTHING, you’ve graduated as a designer, not when you have the sheep’s skin. Design skill is a way undervalued.

Young folks think so much about their futures that the future seems almost predestined to SOMETHING. It isn’t. Fashion or landscaping? Is one better than the other? No, they’re only DIFFERENT. Perhaps your heart runs to both. No sin in that. Why not both? I’ll keep working on my novels on the planes and snap a photo now and then…happily.

Chewey says ‘Hi’. He’s happy being a dog.

John R. Tate said...

Oh, and one more thing. One of my favorite but difficult professors said to “always dress nicely. People will think you know what you’re doing.” I’ve got no worries about you. A pretty woman in the right clothes can slay dragons and conquer the world with a kiss.

http://chewstersworld.blogspot.com/

- Tessa said...

I recommend that you do what you enjoy now - there is PLENTY of time to change/morph/worry in the future. You will not be able to work outside forever - enjoy it while you can!

Dylana Suarez said...

Your blazer is amazing! And I can relate a lot with you in terms of career choice and thinking about what I really want to do in life. I hope you figure it out, but most of all . . . follow your heart!

Elaine said...

I totally love the mix of bold prints and colors but your shoes seal the deal for me. I WANT THEM!!!!!

Enter to win a William Riera dress!
clothedmuch.blogspot.com

Lolita said...

Love this outfit on you and totally understand you're dilemma on life - I'm currently there as well. At least you're already married, you've got one up on me ;)
xx Lolita

http://lolitalovesit.blogspot.com

Christen said...

I hate saying it this way but it's good to know I'm not the only who is dealing / has dealt with this. If it's comforting in any way, I know A LOT of young women our age going through exactly the same thing. The only thing I know to say is that one day you will get it figured out - you just have to get there. If you need anyone to bounce ideas off of or to just vent to, you know how to get in touch with me ;)

guildedsecret. said...

clearly a rodeo of fabulousness – where oh where did you find those camel colored wonders? too bad you haven’t set up your imaginary etsy quite yet – i for sure would have stolen those booties!
i am currently at that phase in my life where i’m making quite rash decisions. i literally just graduated college two weeks ago and i’m trying to make sense of this free time… class takes up so much time and since there’s no class that teaches how to transition smoothly it’s difficult. just know that there’s someone out there [me!] that completely and totally understands where you’re coming from.

xo.
princesspolitico.blogspot.com

Barbara said...

Take heart, and enjoy what you are doing -- all of it. I graduated from college 46 years ago, and am still discovering new avenues to explore.

My 2cents: When smart ones (like you) move from one field to another, you'll bring a big bunch of skills with you. You'll be able to enjoy and profit from your sense of style, your writing skills, your innate intelligence, your sense of fun and humility, no matter what the specific field you're working in. I have worked in advertising, publishing, catering, housepainting, and yacht brokering (besides raising my children). It's all good.

Something else I've learned is that taking what you love and trying to make money at it can kill the passion you had for it. If you love being outdoors and decide to start your own landscaping company, you might end up behind a desk, not what you want.

I'll echo what others have said: Enjoy the ride and lighten up on yourself. You're doing great.

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