New Additions to my Closet- Blogger Clothing Swap

Love love love a good old fashioned clothing swap! Not only is it an opportunity to clean out my closet but it's also a chance to add something new (new to me anyway,) without having to pay for it! Anyway, here are a few of the items I scored...

I told myself that I really needed to get more pattern into my life and this adorable strapless dress will certainly do the trick. It's fitted through the waist and gets fuller on the bottom and I may have to hem it a few inches but other than that it's a perfect fit! Normally I would save a print like this for summer, but I'm dieing to wear it now. Being in Texas, you never know when that random 80 degree day will show up in November...

So, I probably don't need another small bag but this Loeffler Randall for Target clutch was so pretty! It was the first item I grabbed and the previous owner had never used it! I'm crazy for the woven texture and gold lining!

This is actually a romper...so cute! It had not been grabbed at the end of the swap and I was convinced by my friend Andrea, the swap host and the romper's last owner, that I should take it. This is again a bit out of my style range but I couldn't resist! I'm thinking of pairing it up with tights, a cardigan and maybe some cute flats to make it winter worthy.

I got a few more items but had to remind myself that I really didn't have room in my closet to replace all the items I'd gotten rid of!
J.

Mixing it up in my Closet-Television Inspiration

This morning I watched and became obsessed with the show, Man Shops Globe on the Sundance channel. It chronicles Keith Johnson as he hunts the world for incredible, one of a kind home decor...can you say dream job?!? Anyway, one episode follows him through Turkey where he finds a textile designer/seamstress who creates, by mixing and matching antique rugs and other textured fabrics, the most beautiful pillows for him...

(Photo from www.sundancechannel.com)
The results were incredible!!! It also had me wanting to do a little mixing and matching myself. So after a little digging, I unearthed 2 pieces I rarely wear out of my closet. The first was a dress with the most lovely sort of leafy Greek pattern in silver and black...

I actually love this dress but worn by itself, it really comes across as more of a party dress due to the shine of the fabric and slight bubble hem. The second item was a top that someone once had called a "popcorn" shirt because of the texture...

I have never worn this shirt! It too has a shiny sheen and I have never been successful in pairing it with anything. In fact, I have probably put it in and pulled it out of the Goodwill pile at least three times!

But with the dress (as a skirt,) it pulled off the textural, eclectic look that I had been going for. The suede of the boots toned down the shine and kept me warm. (It has finally been cool enough to pull them out.)

My look wasn't near as colorful as the amazing kilim rugs on the show, but the mix was certainly on par...minus the goat hair he was intent on using...although I did consider an ostrich feather necklace... (With an up do, it's still not out of the question.)
J.