I'm not sure if there's an equivalent of the U.S.'s eponymous Black Friday in other countries (I feel like there was something similar in South Korea, it happened when I was there, but I don't know what it's called...). I remember the early years of the crazed shopping day when people would line up weeks before the event would begin and when the stores finally opened it was utter chaos. I don't think I ever really got what I wanted....This year I plan to stay in, play video games, and do my shopping online. I was surprised to find out/get emails from internet shops that were already offering discounts and surprise deals for Friday. Here are a few I'm looking forward to the most.
I got new stuff recently.
I have no shame admitting I frequent thrift/secondhand stores. I remember going to them as a young girl and reveling in the mountains of used toys. The only thing I really dislike about these type of stores, though, is that they can smell rather musty...But the thrill of shopping at thrift stores lies in the hidden treasures to be found with careful foraging. If you're lucky, there can be YSL, Salvatore Ferragamo, and Tod's waiting for you (pending it's your size and if you're willing to pay for some fixing-up) for cheap. There are also a slew of high quality leather shoes made in places like Italy, Spain, and Brazil.
I went to a Salvation Army earlier today, there was already a line of people waiting for the store to open. On Fridays, this location has 50% off everything (except mattresses and coffee). I was able to find these shoes:
They are Bally green and black suede shoes. I adore the little bow accent on the cap toe. I did not buy these, perhaps they'd fetch a nice price on ebay, because they were much too small being size five and all.
I saw these shirts and I instantly thought Urban Outfitters. One might see these exact shirts on clothing racks at UO for 10x the price. I have nothing against Urban Outfitters; I actually shopped there all the time in my high school/early college years, but its appeal is lost on my now. If you're looking for UO-ish clothes and on a budget, seriously check out a thrift store (or your mother's closet). Even though thrift stores aren't blaring "indie", experimental, or old-skool hip-hop while you shop and everything kind of smells awful, with patience you'll most likely find exactly what you've been looking for. Case in point, here is an outfit I was able to come up with rummaging through the store.
I'm not sure if you can see (sorry as all these pictures were taken with my phone and all the individual elements are difficult to discern in this particular one), but I put together a floral shirt, brown shorts, a purse, and sandals. I find this ensemble very summery, it's something I would definitely wear. The purse and sandals were real leather, too, so they'll last a while longer and be genuine vintage. I loved those sandals (made in Brazil), yet they, too, were size five...The only thing I came home with were a pair of shorts (not seen above) and a bunny toy.
Thrift stores can be fun to look through. You could find something great that you'll end up treasuring. It's lot better for the environment as clothes get recycled and the clothes there won't support foreign sweatshop as the clothes aren't (directly) made in them. Granted, it's not a very glamorous place to shop nor is it organized, but check them out once in a while for vintage things or to get stuff for cheap.
L.A. has started to warm up. With the sun shining and temperatures rising, I can't stop thinking about the changes to be made for my wardrobe. I've made a pinterest board about things I would wear on end this summer (I really like the Kate Mouse/David Bowie mash-up tank). ...A girl can dream about these things..right?
One thing I'd really like to get this summer is a pair of cut-off, utterly distressed denim shorts. Surprisingly enough, I don't have a pair in my arsenal as I generally prefer clean, stream-lined (usually) chino shorts. I thought of them as uncouth--the way they're all tattered and too short, the kinds of girls I saw wearing them didn't seem like people I could ever associate myself with. I took a second look at cutoffs, they're too irresistible, and decided that with the right styling they could look laid-back cool rather than frat house party-ready. Having scoured the internet and some stores in real life, these pairs from Zara have caught my attention:
ripped faded denim shorts in light grey ©zara
ripped denim shorts in navy ©zara
ripped and faded denim bermudas in black ©zara
These standout because they have the right amount of authentic destruction in my eyes and are probably better quality than something from, say, somewhere like this? The price for the Zara shorts are a tad too high, though, they're better made and not as expensive or tacky as this from Urban Outfitters. Although these, for their price aren't too bad for UO. Of course I much like Zara's selection and quality of clothes over other mid-range priced stores. I'll plan an outing to check out all these shorts in person and try them on. I'll be damned if I go another summer without decent cut-offs!
Other things I hope to put on during the summer:
my bright & shiny jewelry 
shopped-from-my-closet sandals
tie-dye cap
and these dresses.
marni for h&m
bunny print maeve from anthropoligie i got sunday
Yep. I'm so almost ready for summer.
