Channeling Jenna Lyons

I'm beginning to think that Jenna Lyons (president and executive creative director at J. Crew, if you don't know) is my spirit woman. I'd say spirit animal but she's obviously not that. The woman knows how to dress and I've caught on... she seems to always pair her eye catching glasses with the perfect topper. A jacket. A coat. A blazer. A button up. The woman always has the perfect topper - be it simple or be it statement, it always looks perfect and very HER. I love how she looks classic even when she is wearing something very un-classic. I decided to switch that up and paired my very un-classic glasses with a classic topper...

Jeans: Old Navy [exact for $22]
Blazer: Apostrophe, Thrifted [love this tuxedo jacket for $32.90!]
Tunic Button Up: Worthington, JCPenney [polka-dotted J. Crew for $24.99!]
Shoes: Franco Sarto, Thrifted [similar in patent leather for $17.70!]
Eyewear: Zenni Optical #636024 [exact - just $19!]
Monogram Bracelet: c/o 9th & Elm [exact]

There's something so delightfully easy about black and white, a blazer and a button up, denim and oxfords. I'd love to say I'd like to "simplify" my closet and cut myself down to all black and white pieces... but a girl just needs some color in her life. I do, at least. These glasses are one of my favorite colorful pieces. I get a lot of questions when I wear them: Are they real? As in, do I have prescription lenses? Yes, most certainly. My driving is better for it. :) Do they glow in the dark? Har har, no. But I guess that would be pretty cool. Does the color hurt your eyes? Only first thing in the morning when I am half awake. Only slightly kidding. Some people love them, some seem horrified by them. It's cool. I fully realize neon green is not every person's cup of tea. (I dislike tea, for the record.)

My favorite piece of jewelry right now is this perfectly sized monogram bracelet that I picked up thanks to 9th & Elm. I've been admiring monogrammed pieces for a while now but was never sure what type of piece I would want to get monogrammed for myself. When I saw this bracelet I knew it was the piece I had been looking for - silver, small but not too small, and affordable. It works well worn alone and also stacked with other bracelets.

Can we have a keeping it blogger-style real moment, please? First of all, yep, my shirt is hella wrinkly. These photos were taken around 7pm after a full work day, a walk with my new puppy and plenty of playing with my puppy. Wrinkles happen, man. Second of all, my fiancé (engagement/wedding stuff is another planned post, I'm getting there... I swear) told me I was wearing this bracelet wrong and made me fix it before I took photos so that my monogram is facing anyone in front of me instead of facing me. I feel like it is strange to wear that way. Am I wrong? Please school me: how do you/would you wear a monogram bracelet? Am I silly for wearing it facing me?

Join me for a Goodwill Pop Up Shop!

I was ALL ears a few months ago when Suze contacted me a few months ago about working with Goodwill to style some outfits for a pop up shop they were putting together for the Detroit Eastern Market. If you've been following me on instagram or twitter, you know that I've been hopping into my little Smart car and shopping and styling my little heart out ever since!

Here's the pop up shop's, YB Blue, details before I get any further:
WHEN: Sunday, July 27, 2014 from 10am-4pm
WHERE: Shed 2 at the Detroit Eastern Market, Michigan
WHO: Goodwill outfits styled by me & hand-picked home items!
WHY: Shop-Save-Donate-Help ----> Your donated/purchased goods help put people to work while you save money on great items!

Each Sunday the YB Blue pop up shop has had a different Detroit-based stylist selecting the pieces you can purchase! Each shop features between 30-50 styled outfits and accessories along with hand-selected home items and even vintage pieces that Goodwill has curated!

As you probably know by now, I'm an avid thrift store shopper. I've come to a point in my life where, nine times out of ten, I prefer an item secondhand because it not only works for my budget out of necessity but also out of desirability. I can always find five (or more!) well-made pieces of clothing for the price of one piece at a non-secondhand store. And that one piece is probably not as nice as those five I can find at the thrift store. I also like the variety of items I can find in one store, as I'd say my style varies from different looks depending on the day... I don't have to wander from store to store to find what I'm looking for - I can find it all within one Goodwill shop!

I have spent the last few months visiting each of the three metro-Detroit area Goodwill stores selecting pieces for outfits I've put together with every size kept in mind - from extra small to 2X. I tried to make sure to include every beautiful size and every kind of style. I, myself, like I said, like a good mix in my closet. I think you'll find the same to be true here - from work appropriate (but still sassy!), to vintage, to summer ready, to ready for winter... a little bit of this and a little bit of that, I hope everyone can find something that they are looking for, or, better yet, that special piece that you didn't even realize was missing from your closet! :)

But, wait, are you new to shopping second hand? Not sure if it is for you? Or maybe you like shopping second hand but have a hard time finding the time or the patience to put pieces together? Then the YB Blue pop up shop is perfect for you too. I think it will give thrift-newbies and impatient shoppers an easy shopping experience! The outfits are already put together for you and you get a curated taste of the great items that you can find at Goodwill without becoming overwhelmed with everything you might see in one of the stores.

Here's a little sneak peek at some of the outfits I put together for the shop...

Want to see more? You can find these images and more if you follow me on instagram and/or twitter. Want some general outfit inspiration? Follow me on pinterest and pay close attention to my dedicated YB Blue Inspiration board where I'm pinning all sorts of outfit ideas with the pieces I have already selected kept close in mind!

Can't wait to see you at the shop!

Frugal Additions - January 2012

About one week ago, my best friend and I decided to make some time for a little shopping therapy. Granted, some may find delight in shopping the beautiful rack at Nordstrom but we like to get our kicks in at our favorite thrift store, Value World. We swear by this place as the mecca of all metro Detroit thrift stores. I seem to always be able to find at least one goodie each time I stop by AND their prices are the best, by far. I can't tell you how many times I have walked out of there paying just $0.80 for a shirt or $0.40 for a skirt - and that's not even on the days I walk in with a 50% off coupon!

Anyway, let's get down to the good stuff, shall we? MY FINDS! I always love to read Kara's posts (at Unusual Form) about her new thrift finds so I thought I would share mine this week too! Here's a few sneak peek type photos of the pieces I ended up buying. Don't worry, they'll be making their full debut on the blog in due time. :)




New York & Co houndstooth button up - $1.80
New York & Co tunic length blue button up - $1.40
Land's End burgandy ribbed cardigan - $1.60Natori II burgandy/gold palazzo pants - $1.30
J. Peterman Co tan button up jacket - $1.80
Styleworks blazer with floral cuff - $5.40
Franco Sarto suede boots - $4.20
Sofft black leather ankle boots - $6.20

All of this equals out to a grand total of $23.70. I don't think that is too shabby for a little shopping therapy with one's best friend... do you?

Speaking of money and shopping, I'll be back later this week to discuss my shopping, changes for the new year and more. Stay tuned!

EBEW: Black and White

A cool and easy black and white mix today. Quick separates, quick photos, long day. Sometimes that is just how it rolls, right? I'm sure you understand.

I convinced my boyfriend to snap a few quick photos of my outfit today... nevermind our super dim glow lighting. Ah, apartment life. :)



Dress: Leslie Fay, Thrifted, $1.80
Blouse: Old Navy, $7 (clearance)
Booties: Sofft, Thrifted, $6.20
Bracelets: Forever21, Old
Glasses: SEE Eyewear

This is probably the first and the last time I will wear this dress. I never tried it on when I bought it as I was at one of those thrift stores that doesn't have dressing rooms. Yeah, one of those. Anyway, I clearly misjudged it because it's rather large on my frame. The bottom is ok but I was swimming in the top without this blouse over it. It's too bad because I do love me a good vintage Leslie Fay dress. :)







As I mentioned yesterday, I'm dressing in black and white all week. I was inspired by today's Everybody, Everywear but it's also, hands down, my favorite color combination. It is so easy and always looks good!

Hopefully you'll stay tuned to see how I rock out with my black and white out the rest of the week... or, um, something like that. :-)

Sundresses and Handbags

I couldn't let summer come to an end without wearing one of my favorite summer dresses. This one, as you'll find out, is not work appropriate as it is quite open in the back so I took advantage of a weekend lunch date with my boyfriend to take it for a drive.


Dress: All That Jazz, Thrifted, $3
Vintage Wood Sandals: Imperial, Bought at a church sale, $1
Clay Bangle Bracelets: Handmade (after seeing these), Approx. cost of each ~ $0.50
Purse: Jessica Buckle Tote in Ivory/Cream, c/o HandbagHeaven.com (Price = $46.95)
Glasses: SEE Eyewear

One of my favorite things right now is dark florals. I'm loving any floral print that has a dark background. They just look so pretty yet have that interesting dark quality to them. Plus, I think they make a great transition piece from summer to fall.


And my new Handbag Heaven bag? I LOVE IT. It is not too big but just big enough, the color is fresh and it is so well made. I know a lot of people worry about bags that aren't made of real leather - will they look totally fake? Will they feel "crunchy"? Been there and had that. This bag is smooth and pliable - just like real leather. Actually, one of the girls I work with touched it and commented on how good it felt.


When Handbag Heaven approached me, I was elated! I actually already own one of their bags so I was already a bit acquainted with their bags. Plus, I have been in serious need of a fresh handbag for some time now... I've been carrying around the same little vintage Coach purse that I thrifted over a year ago. Don't get me wrong, $4 for a leather Coach purse is a great deal - but the bag was getting tired! Plus, I think this Jessica tote is perfect for this end of summer and start of fall cusp. It's fresh for summer and crisp for autumn.


Keep an eye out for some of photos in Handbag Heaven's upcoming style guide! :)

Full disclosure: I was given, free of charge, the handbag of my choice from Handbag Heaven. My thoughts, feelings and words regarding this handbag are just that - MINE - and not supplied by the company. I was not required to tell you I loved this handbag. I told you I loved it because I do. :)

Nifty Thrifty (7/30)

So I was doing my usual blog reading at lunch today and discovered that it is a Nifty Thrifty day over at Every Body, Every Wear. How did I miss this?! Lucky for me (and you, maybe?), I am wearing my most favorite recent thrift find... actually, two of them...


Dress: Liz Claiborne, Thrifted (Value World), $2.60
Belt: J Crew, Thrifted (Value World), $1.60
Bracelet: Gift
Shoes: Mossimo Supply Co Oldell Ruffle flats, Target, $6.48 (clearance in store)
Glasses: SEE Eyewear
TOTAL = $10.68

I know you just saw this dress a few days ago but I thought I would show off the back of it now. It was a blazing hot day so I figured it would be perfect to keep my cool while I was at work - where it fluctuates between being freezing and being hot (don't even ask me how that works).


Ignoring my horrible posture in this picture, what do you think? The low back of this dress border lines on being inappropriate for work but I decided to hell with it today. The temperature warranted it.


My other nifty thrifty piece? This amazing yellow skinny belt that I picked up from one of my local Value World stores. Yes, J. Crew for $1.60 can be possible, ladies and gents. You just have to look! This belt looked virtuously unused when I bought it... I was actually even pretty shocked that the thrift store had not priced it higher than this.


I think the two go pretty well together, don't you? It didn't occur to me to pair them up until last night when I was putting my clothes together for the next day. So happy I chose to wear this today so I could participate in Nifty Thrifty Thursday!



Now shake your tail feather on over to Every Body, Every Wear and check out all the other great Nifty Thrifty submissions!

Camo Dreams (4/30)

Let's talk about camo today, shall we? I have been obsessed with the idea of owning a camo jacket for a while now. The obsession got further out of control when I came across this photo at All The Pretty Birds! Doesn't she look amazing? The camo jacket just totally makes the whole look and the necklace she paired with it? Oh, swoon. Needless to say, I have spent great amounts of time dreaming up my own camo jacket and what I would pair it with.

Then came one fateful trip to Old Navy. And there it was. Hanging alone on a clearance rack amidst tanks and sundresses. My perfect size. A dream come true!


Pleated Skirt: Peter Popovitch, Thrifted, $1.50
Black Tee: Forever21, Thrifted, OLD
Camo Jacket: Old Navy, $20.99 (on clearance)
Braided Belt: Tagless, Thrifted, $1
Wedge Sandals: Mossimo "Pilar", Target, FREE ($29.99 but bought with gift card)
Glasses: SEE Eyewear
Bracelet: Inherited from grandma
Watch: Inherited from grandma
It got a simple styling today - all black and camo. It doesn't get much easier than that yet it still looks good, you know? Classic with a twist. Pleats with an edge. My favorite belt to cinch the jacket in...


And my favorite jewelry ight now...


Both are pieces I inherited from my grandma... The watch doesn't work at this point but I wear it because it reminds me of her. Out of all the jewelry I inherited from her, this is my favorite. It is the one of my favorite memories of her - she was always wearing a watch and it was always a small, dainty watch like this. In fact, this was the one she wore the most and the only one left in her massive jewelry box at her death. Clearly, it was her favorite, which makes it a fast favorite for me as well.

In closing,



1. A favorite jacket
2. A favorite skirt
3. Favorite jewelry

It all makes for a happy Katie.

Sir Mix A Lot

Oh, Michigan. Your weather is so crazy. Allegedly, we were supposed to have the worst weather we have had in over 70 years... but all it did was rain for a little while and have a bit of wind. Torrential winds? Not so much. My drive home was full of deep dark clouds and it looked like it could be 10pm though it was only 4:30pm. Currently? Sunny with baby blue skies and fluffy white clouds. Ohhhh, Michigan.


Dress: Contempo Casuals, Thrifted
Sweater: Merona (Target), Thrifted
Shoes: Madeline, Thrifted
Black Skinny Belt: I think it may have come with something?
Glasses: SEE Eyewear
Does anyone else remember Contempo Casuals? They were like the Forever21 of today... but back like, gosh, probably 12 years ago? Maybe longer? I don't know. All I know is I was probably 11ish when they were around and I loved the place, though nearly everything was something my mom would never allow me to wear - hence the reason why my friend and I nicknamed it Contrampo Casuals. :)

I love the mix of patterns in this outfit. If you keep it in the same general color family, this trick normally works. (Though this can also work outside that boundry too!)



Oh, don't even act like you don't like to twirl in a dress/skirt too! :)

Gingham and a Dress

Today I broke out of my comfort zone. I wore boots... Short boots. With a dress. Bah bah bahhhh:


I know it sounds silly but I've never had the so-called courage to wear short boots with anything but pants. Basically, I've never had the courage to bare my legs with a pair of short boots. I know that sounds weird... especially considering I will wear dresses and skirts any day of the week with heels. But here is my thinking: I was scared to wear short boots with bare legs because I felt like it would make my legs look thicker. I don't exactly have super slender ankles or legs. After viewing photo after photo of all you ladies dressed in dresses and short boots, I could no longer resist! And I'm glad I didn't.


Dress: Citi Clothing, Thrifted (last year)
Tank (underneath): FREE at Forever 21 w/ purchase (last year)
Boots: FREE from my sister (we made a boot trade)... I'm assuming they are from Payless though!
Glasses: SEE Eyewear
Here's why I'm happy to have given up being too scared to rock this look: 1) Life is too short, 2) Who CARES if my legs look "thick" and 3) It looks darn good! I think so, at least. :)


And this dress? An absolute favorite of mine. I thought I had packed it away because I couldn't find it for the longest time but I discovered last night that it was hanging on my boyfriend's side of the closet for some reason. It fits SO well and I love the print. I remember the day I found it at the thrift store. The minute I lifted it over my head and on, I was hooked. I love thrifting days like that.


Funny story how I got these boots, actually... I was at my parent's house over the weekend and spotted these by the front door. A quick "Oooh!" came out of my mouth just as my sister's head whipped around and she said "Uhhhh, those are MINE!" OK, fine. Fast forward to last night, she comes over to my apartment to pick up some clothes I was getting rid of when she spotted a tall, lace up pair of brown boots. She told me she would trade me these black boots for my brown boots and that was that. She whipped these off and whipped the brown ones on and I was left to do some outfit planning for today. I couldn't be happier with our trade!

What look are you loving but is one you are afraid to try? Why?

Cheetah Style

Top: Poof!, Thrifted, Old
Dress: R.J. Stevens by Carol Escritor, Thrifted last year
Belt: Cheapie that came with something I bought
Boots: Thrifted, Old
Glasses: SEE Eyewear
Pardon my silly face in this picture - Let's concentrate on this dress! It is one of my all time favorite dresses. I found it while shopping in one of my trusty thrift stores and knew it would be coming home with me immediately. I know animal prints are HUGE right now but I actually bought this last year sometime. I don't really think animal prints are ever "out" - so long as they're worn correctly. This dress has a fantastic, classic fit to it and just so happens to have a fun animal print as well. That makes it a closet staple in my book.


Plus, it has nice twirling capabilities. Not that I find myself dress twirling very often... but when the feeling hits, it hits. :)


Don't you love those ugly, cheapie belts that come with certain tops/dresses? (Note: This one did not come with this dress.) No? Me either. This is actually one of those belts that I happened to not get rid of because... I don't know. I guess I thought somewhere down the line I would use it someway somehow. Today was it's day. I wanted the dress to take center stage so I didn't feel my typical black braided belt would work. Too much. This belt was nice and simple so it won. I think it looked pretty darn good too! Not too shabby for a freebie!

Like The Sea

The minute I laid my eyes on this dress, I knew it had to be mine.

White Tank: (not seen) Walmart, OLD
Tan/White Dress: Messages, Thrifted, $3.60
Blue Jersey Knit Cardigan - Old Navy, $5/clearance
Brown Braided Belt - $1.79, Thrifted
Brown Boots - St. John's Bay, $4.60, Thrifted
Brown Glasses - Yes, they're real!, SEE Eyewear
I've been trying to add more "neutrals" to my wardrobe. I wear browns every so often. I next to never wear tan/khaki. I don't know why - I just seem to have always been a black girl. It may be because I'm pale and I feel like that often makes it hard to for me to work such a color into my wardrobe as it tends to draw even more color out of me.

I've been seeing SO many neutral outfits around the blogosphere lately and I just couldn't resist dabbling. I love the design on this dress - the color is neutral but the print is still fun. Plus, I knew it would go perfectly with this blue jersey knit button up that I bought from Old Navy during one of their amazing sales this summer. Blue is another color I don't wear a lot - so this was the perfect "out of my box" outfit for me to put together.


These boots? They're a recent thrift purchase too. I love boots. Love, love, love boots. I can never have enough. Boots are something that are hard for me to come by, though... especially at thrift stores. They're either ugly, too tight around my calves (they're meaty, I'm honest) or not my size (I wear a size 9). So, imagine my delight when I walked by these pretty ladies - They are a good style, totally fit around my leg and were my size! And cheap as heck at $4.60. Score! Yes, they're a bit scuffed, but I like that! I think it adds character. Plus, I don't have to worry about being the first to scuff them up!


My way to cinch everything in? A good braided belt. They go with everything! I love the cognac color of this one.

BIRTHDAY GIRL

No, it's not my birthday today... but this is my birthday dress!

Dress: Thrifted. Vintage.
Belt: Black/Braided/Thrifted
Shrug: Bright green, soft & comfortable. Bought on clearance at Old Navy years ago.
Shoes: Clearance Walmart special.
Glasses: Cat eye perfection from SEE Eyewear
I bought this dress last year to wear on my birthday. Do you ever buy a special outfit to wear on a special day? I do this for pretty much any holiday: Christmas, Easter, my birthday, my boyfriend's birthday, etc. I blame this on my mom. She always bought my sister and I new outfits for each holiday - and I'm talkin' down to gloves (not the winter variety) and hats. I've always been quite the girly girl.

I actually bought an amazing chunky vintage necklace to go with it but left that lady out today considering I was wearing the bright green shrug with this. The necklace has a lot of red in it and I didn't want the outfit to end up looking over the top.

Can you believe these shoes came from Walmart? I bought them a few years ago when I found them on their shoe clearance rack. I want to say I paid $7 for them but I'm not 100% sure on that.

And with that I bid adieu to summer! I figured that wearing one of my favorite vintage sleeveless dressed would be appropriate for one of the last few days of summer. Are you sad to see summer go? Personally, I'm not. Fall is my favorite season - I say bring on the sweaters and the boots! Bring em on!