Thursday, January 08, 2015

Thrift Style Thursday: Resolutions

This year will bring a few changes to the blog, as well as to myself. Nothing earth-shattering, but certainly changes in an upwardly direction. I hope you'll agree. Here's what I've got planned...

1. I've joined a group of fashion/refashion bloggers who collaborate each week for themed outfit posts, which they call Thrift Style Thursdays. As you may have surmised, these coordinated posts happen on Thursdays and involve the sharing of an outfit comprised mostly, if not entirely, of thrifted items.


The theme this week is New Year's Resolutions. Some of the items pictured, I've had for a few years at least - the boots, the jacket. Others are more recent acquisitions - the blouse and jeans. While the jeans fit nicely, I should point out, they are a size larger than I would like - the product of a stressful year of over-consumption. One of my personal, non-bloggy resolutions is to get my weight back down to where it was a year ago.

Thrift Style Thursday: Resolutions

2. I want to care more about my blog photos. Don't get me wrong. I enjoy photography very much as an art form, a creative outlet. I just don't fancy taking pictures of myself. I'd like to think my progress photos of my refashions are informative and make my process a little more clear, should you like to replicate it yourself. However, I recognize my "after" pics often fall a bit short.

So I'm resolving to put more effort into showing you how proud I actually am of my work, whether it's sewing, knitting, or bargain hunting. I want to venture out of my comfort zone and have a little fun with my photo shoots. If this means I turn into the weird lady at the park with a camera and tripod, taking pictures of herself, well then, so be it.

Thrift Style Thursday: Resolutions

Based on this first attempt, I can already tell I need to be more conscious of light and shadows. There were several shots where my body was in the sun but my face in shadow, and that just looks odd. But hey, I'm learning!

3. I want to care less about the blog. Yeah, you heard me right. Over a year ago, when I decided to try biweekly posting of refashions and thrift scores, I thought it would be good for me to have a schedule to stick to. Unfortunately, that backfired a little and it became more of a chore. "Oh no, it's Sunday and I have nothing to post! Quick, let me throw something together!" That's not what I want this to be. If I don't have time that week to sew/knit/create something, then there may not be a post at all.

Thrift Style Thursday: Resolutions

I know this has happened several times over the past year, and you guys have been great about it. No one has chastised me for being late or missing a post. That's one of things I love about you, you know. You're very understanding. But it's not you; it's me. I am disappointed in myself every time I fail to keep my self-imposed schedule.

So this resolution is, most likely, nothing you'll even notice on your end. I'll still try to update you regularly on my comings and goings and makings and doings, but I'm going to try not to beat myself up about it when I don't have anything to share with you. If things go as planned, perhaps my overall mood, and thus the quality of my work, will be improved. And we can all benefit from that!

Thrift Style Thursday: Resolutions

4. Finally, I'd like to take better advantage of an app I bought a few months back. It's called Stylebook, and it's a sort of virtual closet. I can keep track of what clothes and accessories I own, when I've worn them, how much I paid for them, and a million other things. It's searchable by color, brand, season, and it can provide statistics of cost per wear, which items I wear most often, which might need to be purged, and so on.

It so strongly appeals to my need for organization, but I can't use all of its features until I've had time to catalog everything. So everyday, when I'm getting dressed, I have to think, "Have I added this to my Stylebook yet?" And if not, I snap a quick pic and off we go! And so it has gone for the last few months, but I can't really utilize the planning aspects of the app without a full inventory of my wardrobe. So I need to set aside a day sometime soon to literally pull out every single thing I own and photograph it. Maybe I'll make this part of my spring cleaning this year and do some purging while I'm at it!

Thrift Style Thursday: Resolutions
Blouse: $4 thrifted NWT // Jacket: $4 thrifted // Jeans: $5 thrifted
Scarf: me-made // Born boots: $20 thrifted NWT (similar) // Earrings: me-made

So that's all. Thanks for listening, as always. And don't forget to check out the other Thrift Style Thursday bloggers to hear about their resolutions for the coming year.






13 comments:

  1. Great first TST post! I'm happy you've joined us! And I think those are great goals - I too would like to do better with pictures for my blog. I started improving last year but then it got cold and taking pictures outside seemed less appealing so I was back to indoor office selfies. I want to change that again, hoping to get a new iPhone soon and I think that will help a bit!

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    1. Thanks, Beth! I'm so glad to be one of the cool kids now!

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  2. Yay! First post, and a great outfit :) I love the scarf! And I love that you are putting more into the 'after' or outfit pics...it is totally weird to start out taking pictures of yourself with tripod and remote control, but it'll feel a little more normal, if only for you, as you go ;) lol. Have fun with it and can't wait to see more!

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    1. Oddly, I didn't mind too much being the weirdo in the park. Although it was really cold that day, so there were only maybe 3 other people there.

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  3. Welcome to Thrift Style Thursdays!! I love your outfit, I can't believe you thrifted a pair of Born boots! And I love that blouse - I recently thrifted something similar and I am in the process of refashioning it {sadly, I can't finish until I find some trim I need, and I can't seem to find it anywhere! I may have to resort to ordering it online). Anyway, I love your resolutions, and it totally does get easier being that weird lady in the park taking pictures of yourself! ;)
    Can't wait to see more!! :)

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    1. Thank you, Kristi! I'm honored to join you all.

      I had to do a double-take on the boots too. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, especially when I noticed the tag still on them. Oh well, someone else's loss is my gain!

      Good luck finding the perfect trim!

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  4. I'm happy no matter what you post or when or how -- as long as it's got something to do with thrifting or refashions, I'm in! Sorry to hear you were sick. There's a lot of nasty stuff going around this year. Take care of yourself!

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    1. That's exactly what I'm talking about. You guys are *so* understanding!

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  5. Carissa, love your resolutions and thank you so much for joining us! I love having you as a part of our #ThriftStyleThursday group!

    Zhenya

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    1. Thanks for letting me take part, Zhenya! I'm so excited for this year!

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  6. Great resolutions. I totally agree with everything you've said. I still feel super self-conscious venturing out to take photos in public - eep! And it's good not to put pressure on ourselves (and our blogs)! There's no need for a schedule, just a drive to put out quality posts! Cheers :)

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    1. Exactly! I'll do better work, both in crafting and blogging, if I'm not stressing myself out about a deadline!

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  7. Mother is the only person in the world that exhibits true form of love. There is no love in the entire universe that equals to the love of a mother.

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