Friday, May 30, 2014

Wedding Season?

Yeah, it's that time of year.  For most twenty-somethings.  I went through wedding season years ago, in fact those fabulous people got married, had babies, and are now divorcing like normal Americans.  Turns out my nearest and dearest don't really follow that format because my two bestest lady friends waited (smartly so) to get married later in life.  One in her (gasp) late 20's and the other (louder gasp) mid 30's.  And not married to each other (although, for the record, I totally support that).  I shit you not both my two best gal pals texted me New Years day to save the date.  One friend, here in Madison wanted June 20th saved for her wedding.  The other friend, from Eau Claire, wanted June 21st saved.  Fine.  Done and done.  Then I was asked to be in BOTH weddings...of 2 people I love very very much.  I OK'd it with both of them that I could indeed be in both weddings even if they were on the same weekend.  What does this all mean?  I'm still not quite sure....but I will tell you this;   both weddings are amazing....and beautiful...and make me feel so honored that I know each person individually. 
With weddings come showers and bachelorette parties.  

Top dress is for the shower.  Bottom dress is for the bachelorette party.  Both from Upshift!

And yes, I am wearing them to both of my besties parties.  2 different towns, 2 different weekends.  Deal with it.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

What's Red, White, and Vintage All Over?


10 Reasons to get rid of your old accessories and UpShift to these fabulous pieces:








1. Glass beads made just for your wrist






2. Betty Boop Baubles





3. Your wrist wants these draped around it







4.  Topshop (never worn) wonderfulness







5.  A scarf that Mrs. Draper would envy






6. Stacked and ready to go






7.  Sometimes all you need is a geo scarf








8.  This pictures doesn't do justice to how posh this purse is








9. Vintage and modern at the same time





10. Just vintage

Monday, May 19, 2014

Gucci

Gucci.  We got these in at our amazing little swap shop (UpShift, Madison's only clothing exchange)  last week and I took them home to photograph. I thought, "Screw it, I'm going to wear them to work just once".  I needed to know what it was like to walk in something that cost more than my first car.  The experience is as follows:

  • Squeezed into them.  
  • Literally marched to get my tea for the drive to work.
  • Stopped at the gas station to replenish my tea after the 45 minute drive and pranced as I paid.
  • Got to work to sachay through my day...until they made my feet scream.
  • I forced myself to get through the day because...I looked like a million bucks.

The second I got to my car I threw on my ballet flats and sighed with relief.
But...Goddamit they look awesome!

Sunday, May 11, 2014

It just keeps getting better!

In my quest to switch over my entire wardrobe to 100% UpShift I found these amazing little pieces of heaven.  Frye. Boots.

I have wanted a pair since I was 19 years old.  Let's be brutally honest and put a year to the age...that was back in 1998 when I was a baby sophomore in fashion school.  I was in my fashion trend course and we we're learning about iconic trends.  My professor flashed an image of classic 1970's Frye Boots on the screen worn by Ali McGraw (my fashion idol at the time...and still is).  I ran home that day and tried to maneuver the very new and un-userfriendly thing called the internet.  My fashion dream was dashed when I figured out they cost $400.  That might as well be a million dollars to a broke college kid. I didn't even have $2 to buy a toothbrush (true story).  So, I knew someday I would eventually own Frye boots.  Fast forward to a time when I acquired a disposable income and I realized that getting a brand new pair would suck because you'd have to walk around like a robot until they broke in.  As it turns out, women like their Frye boots and don't part with them very often (especially in an amazon size like 9 1/2).  And so I waited.....until now.  This is proof that UpShift swapping works.  I brought my old (amazing and totally broke in) boots to swap.

I told my husband (after several martinis) that he would have to sleep on the couch so I could sleep in my new boots (he just sees ugly shit-kickin' boots and doesn't understand).  Needless to say, the boots stayed on display on our coffee table through the night.  Instead my bestest friend told me I could wear them to her wedding in June.  I'll settle for that.

Saturday, May 10, 2014

10 Reasons to UpShift

In no particular order:








1. Our inventory is sustainable









2. We LOVE wine!
















3. All our fixtures are reused















4. We carry amazing fashion trends














5. We have a guest stylist in-house once a month (every 3rd Sunday)












6. Our amazing staff













7. Our neighborhood (Tenney Lapham/East Johnson Street)













8. Fabulous customers
















9. Shoes, shoes, shoes















10. Our blog touts fashion and booze as a way of life

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Newest Find

This looks like your average black blazer, but really it's this amazingly soft, (oh-so-fine) wool Esprit jacket.  It's lined and it has a stand up collar.  Seriously, it's the easiest jacket to layer up and wear as we transition into warmer months.

We got it in at UpShift and I literally took off my khaki blazer, tossed it in the tops bin for swapping and threw this on.  I swapped up immediately and took this home. I must say it looks really sleek while sitting on my deck drinking a martini and listening to Sinatra.  True story, I wore it home and broke it in.