Insta-garb

My go-to outfits as of late:

Madewell market popover, high riser jeans, whistlestop sandals, necklaces, belts, chambray (similar one here); BDG chinos (via Urban Outfitters); TOMS shoes

Thx, instagram, for making it easy to snap covert outfit pics at work without the embarrassment of having to bring my tripod out to my backyard and risk the neighbors pointing and puzzling!

xox,
Sara

The maxi/midi hunt

If you follow me on tumblr, you'll know that I've been hunting around for maxi and midi length skirts and dresses for summer. Now, I rarely set out to shop with a specific goal in mind. I work in retail, and the aesthetic of the brand is so me that I barely do any shopping outside of our store. When I do, it's usually a quick run through of the sale rack to see if anything catches my eye.

Madewell jersey maxidress, neon belt & chambray, Warby Parker Huxley glasses, 

Belle by Sigerson Morrison flats, frizzy hair: mama & papa

That being said, the heat wave this past week made me realize that I have little to no clothing appropriate for the searing summer sun. I decided to go on a mission: find skirts to wear out and about and at work for the hotter days this summer. I crave the maxi and midi length because I'm kind of a tomboy when it comes to my personal style, and I'm definitely on the modest side. I love the cute factor and vintagey vibes evoked by a tea-length skirt, and the effortless nature of a maxi-dress so I set out to find some under $60. Another plus: I've been hoping to girlify my wardrobe. This recent desire for skirts is definitely helping things.

LITTLE DID I KNOW IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND ANYTHING I LIKE. Okay, not impossible... it just took a lot of digging. I searched the mall & a few other stores before resorting to the internet. I have yet to make decisions, but here are some of the pieces I'm thinking about...

• ASOS skirt with soft pleats ($46.40)
• ASOS maxi skirt in grunge floral print ($49.71)
• ASOS simple full skirt with paperbag waist ($58)
• Sparkle & Fade maxi pleated chiffon skirt ($59)
• ASOS midi dress in spot print ($46.40)
• Cooperative Summer breeze midi dress ($59)
• ASOS summer midi dress in boat print ($53.02)
• ModCloth outdoor concert dress ($42.99) - out of stock! :(
• Cheap Monday striped maxi ($66.28)
• Warehouse t-shirt maxi dress ($46.40)

I'm leaning toward the maroon pleated skirt & the striped jersey maxi dresses. What do you like?

xox,
Sara

An intro of sorts

Girl Next Door: The cultural and sexual stereotype of the girl next door or the All-American girl is invoked in American contexts to indicate wholesome, unassuming femininity, as opposed to the culture's other female stereotypes such as the tomboy, the valley girl, the femme fatale, girly girl, or the slut. Examples: Brenda Walsh (Shannen Doherty) in Beverly Hills, 90210; Penny^[9] (Kaley Cuoco) in The Big Bang Theory; Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst) in Spider-Man (Read more at Wikipedia: Girl next door)

The reason I chose this name for my blog was not because I particularly identify with this whole feminine/sexual/cultural stereotype thing (although you will find out that I have a lot to say about stereotypes and women's issues -- holler!), but because "girl next door" is how I'd describe my personal style. Sure, that may sound as boring as waiting for your mom in the car, twiddling your thumbs while she prayed a rosary (or 6) in a local chapel,* but I kind of pride myself on being a pretty average kid.

I mean, there are plenty of bloggers out there who have insanely cool and weirdly specific brands of personal style, but what about the average schmo who just wants to feel confident in her jeans-and-a-tee uniform? Who adds a little spice into her everyday wardrobe with inspiration from Madewell or Tomboy Style? Who compulsively saves fashion-related images on her computer because that's all her brain can manage at this point on her post-college path?  I AM THAT SCHMO. I can help! I no longer wear sweatpants outside of the house and have banished my Uggs to the darkest corners of my closet.

In a nutshell, here's what I wear: denim, plaid button-downs, chambray everything (more like cham-WOW!), tees & layers, scarves, utility jackets, flats, sneakers or boots.

Can we just take a moment to look at that little dancing peanut? I mean, why am I not a ballerina right now for real.

I may not be as sassy as Brenda Walsh or as "all-American" (read: ginger) as Mary-Jane Watson, but I feel like I'm relatable, na mean? I've got plenty of love for overalls and silk scarves and paperbag trousers and Jackie cardigans and all that is plain ol' American fashion. Let's see if that gets me anywhere, shall we?

xox,
Sara

* Not necessarily based off of true events when I was 12

Reviving the girl next door.

As a fresh college graduate, former blogger, and fashion enthusiast, I figured it was about time to revive my old style blog. For those of you who don't remember style-magnet, it's okay, I barely do either. I stumbled into the blogging community in early 2008, and eventually decided to stop blogging when I started my undergraduate career at a local Penn State branch campus. Now that school is all wrapped up (holy crap I can't even believe it) and I'm spending all of my time watching LOST on Netflix, I've decided to resuscitate my inner blogger.

I've been active online over on tumblr and pinterest as birdwings and on twitter as @saranev, so see what I'm all about over there. In the mean time, here are some highlights of my former life as style-magnet:

Hangin' with Erin, Tavi, and Craig at the Weardrobe Bloggers' Conference, September 2008. 

Katie Gallagher, Spring/Summer 2009 - my first fashion show!

Alice + Olivia, Spring/Summer 2009 - my first fashion week presentation, where I spotted The Cobrasnake, Tallulah Harlech, Fabiola Beracasa, Jared Leto, and Kelly Rutherford. 

Stay tuned!

xox,
Sara