Shopping...... I must admit it is addictive! I have been caught out many of times somewhere between tired, and desperate, trying to find that last minute outfit (that I have no idea what it is but I’ll know when I see it!) This has proved dangerous for me, especially going online, Ebay being the culprit. Before I know it I have 8 parcels arriving in the next fortnight and no real ‘need’ for any of the items, just my ‘want’.
But quite often I am also searching through a local Op Shop at second hand dresses, using my creativity to bring them back to life, or on Gumtree for bulk Vintage lots for my clothing. Where I sometimes go wrong is not the price tag, but buying too many items, just because it is cheap! What I am left with is 2 bedrooms overflowing with clothes, my room back at my parents abode housing my vintage collection and a boyfriend who lives out the clean washing pile as its the only space he can find. It is a little chaotic sometimes, and trying to remember where i placed a particular item can get frustrating, but that’s how I like it! It is so liberating having so many versatile and inconsistent options! Options, that you aren't afraid to chop and change to create a new look.
But quite often I am also searching through a local Op Shop at second hand dresses, using my creativity to bring them back to life, or on Gumtree for bulk Vintage lots for my clothing. Where I sometimes go wrong is not the price tag, but buying too many items, just because it is cheap! What I am left with is 2 bedrooms overflowing with clothes, my room back at my parents abode housing my vintage collection and a boyfriend who lives out the clean washing pile as its the only space he can find. It is a little chaotic sometimes, and trying to remember where i placed a particular item can get frustrating, but that’s how I like it! It is so liberating having so many versatile and inconsistent options! Options, that you aren't afraid to chop and change to create a new look.
When I am scrolling through social media, or one of the latest Celebrity trash magazines and see a current trend with a ‘what a steal ‘ price tag of $850, I just frown. $850 may be a ‘budget’ price tag to the majority of Vogue readers, but to me that is my whole weeks paycheck! I am inspired by the runway designers who offer a unique and quirky visual on a monthly basis. I would squeal at the chance to own a piece of high end couture that is quickly seen on a celebrity. In saying that, I am a realist when i say, if I were in a designer label, especially galloping the streets of Adelaide, not many people would spot the difference between my expensive label and a sale rack steal on the other me walking by. |
I know where all my friends work, and roughly how much they earn. They also, like most of us, have financial priorities. If one of my friends rocked up with a $4200 Hermes handbag to lunch, I would assume they either found it in the back of a taxi or it’s a knockoff from their latest Bali trip (guilty). My point being, I am not from a circle of friends in the celebrity spotlight. I am from a circle of friends in Adelaide, where we are the ones idolising the celebrities in the spotlight for their fashion, style and trend. We don't have triple figure salaries, and certainly all have a mountain of bills to pay. You will find us at department stores and heavily advertised online sites. There is no need for us to wear this seasons high end label to our next lunch date (as much as we'd like to), this is not who or where we are right now. When i see my friends, they look trendy because they are confident in how they dress. It doesn’t matter if it is last season, second hand, their sisters loaned outfit or from Kmart, as long as they are confident, happy and own the outfit, then its a 'celebrity' to me.
What i enjoy is to draw inspiration from the runway trends I can’t afford right now, visualising all the clothing in my wardrobe at home that could replicate this...... then add a twist of Taryn. You would be surprised how many more wears you could get out of your old clothes and how many styles they could potentially become. Sometimes, there is no need to rush out and buy a new outfit for the next party or wedding invitation you have received. I have drawn more attention on the days I’ve worn a $4- vintage dress (that I cut the long sleeves off and hitched up a few inches) mixed with a $20- blazer purchased, compared to the 'rushed day before' buy of a $60 designer knock off from Bardot (just to try and fit in with the other 90% of girls out there). It is not about how much you spend on the outfit, again its about how you uniquely accessorise and wear it! How can you 'reinvent' that dress in your closet? Team it up with a cute cropped jacket? Add a sparkly statement necklace or sew on some vintage buttons down the front? Cut its neckline out to create a plunged sexy piece? There is so much more life in your clothes than you realise! So before you throw out all those clothes you think you think are out dated or last season, just take a moment to observe the shapes, style and prints of the fabric. Is there a glossy magazine you can flick through for inspiration? or perezhilton.com? With a few spare hours of your time, and a little courage to pull it off, you could turn the unwanted item into a trending outfit that may mistake you for a celebrity icon! |
Over the coming months, I will be putting up some posts, hoping I can inspire you enough to get your scissors and sewing kit out, and hack away at those threads! You don't need the celebrity income or designer connections, just some inspiration and some spare time.
taryntino
taryntino