GREY & METALLIC | OOTD / by EUREKA CALHOUN

Happy Wednesday beautiful people!   The past couple of months have been somewhat busy and I haven’t had the time to take pics for my beloved “Outfit of the Day" posts.  These images were taken two months ago by one of my favorite photographers Tori Beechum.  Regardless, I plan to make more of an effort to schedule and post on a consistent basis and wanted to create an outfit focusing on my thrifting and vintage finds.  I use to be obsessed with thrifting because in my mind I was saving so much money………until I was swimming in a sea of clothes. The abundance of clothes started to become overwhelming to say the least.  

Since the start of the New Year, my goal has been to declutter and eventually live a minimalist lifestyle.   Now my focus is more on vintage hunting and shopping my closet. The decision to bring new life to the items already in my wardrobe has sparked my creativity in a new refreshing way.  Also, when I stumble across unique one-of-a-kind vintage treasures it makes me feel like I'm stepping into a time machine and flashing back to a different era.  For my outfit I wanted to keep it in the family of mixing athletic with dressy.  My style mantra is more about comfort these days and choosing to dress up my casual gap t-shirt with a metallic thrifted skirt was the perfect pairing.  Summer is the time of the year where I incorporate some type of athletic gear daily.  For years I have always loved to mix high and low items and if you pick the right kind of low, it can look amazing with higher-end accessories.  

Shades - Ray Bans (seen here) | Gold choker - Vintage (similar here) | Grey Shirt - The Gap (here) | Belt - Dillard's OLD (similar here)  | Skirt - Thrifted from Bad Granny's Bazaar. (similar here) | Shoes - Tory Burch (here) | Bracel…

Shades - Ray Bans (seen here) | Gold choker - Vintage (similar here) | Grey Shirt - The Gap (here) | Belt - Dillard's OLD (similar here)  | Skirt - Thrifted from Bad Granny's Bazaar. (similar here) | Shoes - Tory Burch (here) | Bracelets - Nordstrom (similar here) | Clutch - (seen here) | Earrings - (seen here).  

For some of my serious fashionistas, vintage and thrift shopping can be a great past time.  It's about the thrill of the hunt and it's satisfying to your soul to unearth an incredible piece or two.   However, everyone is not a professional shopper like myself and learning how to buy vintage and thrifted items can be intimidating for some.  I have definitely learned some tricks along the way and wanted to share some tips with you: 

My TOP 7 tips to make thrifting and vintage shopping more successful:

1.  Keep a list of “Want” & “Need”.  Thrifting in particular can become overwhelming and it's best to keep a list of things you are in the market for.  The goal is to fill in functional gaps in your wardrobe for the LOW!   

2.  Check for stains, working zippers, and holes.  (Zippers can be replaced).

3.  Be open-minded and venture outside your comfort zone regarding unique pieces.  If an item is too big, tailor it because everything can be nip and tucked into the perfect piece. 

4.  Ask the vintage dealer about other items not on display. They usually have a secret stash in the back.

5.  ONLY BUY WHAT YOU LOVE!  If in doubt, DON’T.  Make sure you ONLY purchase items you will wear. Again, add functional items to your wardrobe.

6.  Beware of fakes.  Know the difference between vintage and thrift.  When in doubt, google it.  

7.  Be prepared.  Wear comfy clothes just in case they don’t have a dressing room. You can try on a pair of pants, shorts or a dress in the isle. 

Until Next Time With Love, 

Eureka