comfortable conference outfit suggestion

comfortable conference outfit suggestion by lowbudgetdiva featuring a knit cardigan

V neck blouse
$98 - nordstrom.com

Sejour knit cardigan
$49 - nordstrom.com

Jones New York Collection plus
$78 - zappos.com

Dansko wedge shoes
$115 - endless.com

Starting a tumblr

I feel like I always want to come here and just post some random thing I like, but Blogger feels too formal for that, somehow. So I am going to try a tumblr and see how it goes. Please follow me so I can follow you:

http://lowbudgetdiva.tumblr.com/

Rusty Nail

Rusty Nail by lowbudgetdiva featuring a woven leather handbag

This funky colored dress from Eshakti looks 60s, but the color feels 70s to me. Reminded me of a drink called a Rusty Nail, which I (quite possibly erroneously) associate with the 70s.

ETA: Apparently it was the 1930s. But that sorta works for this, too!

Mustard lover

[insert usual info about how busy I am and wish I was posting more blah blah blah]

I played hooky one day recently and met a friend for lunch. I had just gotten this vintage jacket/shirt and dusted off the yellow jacket from Lucie Lu for one glorious day of springlike weather before we got hit with another snowpocalypse.

Pardon the ooky face: I had just come from picking my kid up at daycare and finding out she had pulled some other kid's hair...out of her head. Yeah. Turns out my little gal has a nasty illness and a fever and this was sort of her way of letting us know? Okay, noted!

Pixelated close-up:

Tee: Target
Jacket/shirt thingy: Vintage via Everyday People
Outer jacket: Lucie Lu (Sold Out)
Skirt: Custom order from InTheThickOfIt
Brown tights: ?
Boots: Target Kachiri
Scarf: Vintage, thrifted long ago

Etsy Seller Alert: KMStitchery

Howdy Folks. I will skip the customary apologies for not posting. I am just finishing up my two grad courses, working two jobs, and sharing custody of my three-year-old daughter. Things are...busy. I will be starting another job in a few weeks, but at least I will only have one class (my last!) next term!

Anyway, in lieu of posting anything about myself, I just wanted to feature this Etsy seller I met at a green gifts fair. She's called KMStitchery, and she upcycles overstock tees and screenprints them with feminist icons. Her models are M and L, but she sells tops in up to an XXL and (currently) 1X. I think it just depends on what she can get her hands on. Anyway, her icons are awesome--Sylvia Plath, Audre Lorde, Alice Walker, and on and on. When my shopping hiatus is over, I will definitely be picking one up. Possibly this one of Susan B. Anthony.

Groupon: American Apparel

I am not sure if this is the Groupon deal in every city today, but I checked a couple and they all had it.

The deal is $25 for a $50 gift certificate to American Apparel, a great value if you are in the market for some of their winter leggings, or one of those circle scarves. They have been stepping up their 2- and 3X offerings of late, too! FYI, I wear either the L or XL leggings comfortably.

And of course I prefer if you sign up using my unique referral code, but that's entirely optional. ;)

ETA: Today they are offering a Nordstrom Rack deal. Get it!

Chicago

Just spent a fantastic weekend visiting friends in Chicago. I was pretty true to my no retail shopping, though I did pick up some replacement leggings at ye olde American Apparel. Those definitely count as winter staples that I can't really forgo.

I also got to pick up my custom-made skirt from Etsy seller and blogger (and all around cool peeps) IntheThickofIt.
She took that picture of the skirt, and brightened it to get the details. The real color is a dark blue:

Worn with a thrifted Target tee shirt (it's grey with red stripes, but you can't tell here), my brand new AA leggings, a vintage four-ply cashmere cardigan (toooooastyyyy) and Pour La Victoire metallic oxfords. And a leopard print coat. The skirt is such good quality, and a good value. I provided my own fabric and she only charged me $25 for labor. And the hem is handstitched! I recommend you check out her stuff.

I also got another 1940s vintage dress! It was $13 at Crossroads and I couldn't believe they had it and that it FIT. It will be featured in a future post. And I got a couple of pretty outrageous animal print items at the Village Thrift that should make an appearance here some day soon.