Work work work work work

Can you guess what's on my mind lately? Yep. Work. And money. And how there never seems to be enough of it in my bank account. So, I've decided that once this 30x30 challenge is over (today is day 28!), I'm imposing a new challenge upon myself. It's a financial diet, if you will. I can't reasonably cut out all spending, and to be honest, I wouldn't want to. I take the term "retail therapy" very seriously. It's sad, but shopping genuinely makes me feel better when I'm in a bad mood. Which, given my history through high school and college, explains why I'm so broke now.

But I'm trying to remedy that, particularly because next tax season is probably going to kill me. Or come close. It's my first year filing taxes as a non-student, and I'm earning some decent money freelancing on the side, which I don't get taxes taken out of them. So I'm going to owe good ol' Uncle Sam a pretty penny come April. So I'm trying to plan ahead! Yay, me!

So what does that mean? It means I'm looking for a part-time job (which will bump my employment up to 1 full time job, 1 freelance job, 1 part time job and 1 blog that's kind of like a job, only I don't get paid--yikes). Free time? Who needs it? Well, I do, but if I have less of it, maybe I'll shop less.

And when I do shop, it will be exclusively at thrift stores. If I want to splurge, I may buy something handmade on Etsy. But no full-price anything. Until...well, until I can't do it anymore. I'm aiming for a minimum of one month, but if this goes well, I'm going to try to stretch it out for the rest of the year. *gulp*

Okay, enough whining about money woes. Here are some fun photos! (Wow. That even rhymes. Ew.)

items: 4, 5, 9, 27
bracelet: street vendor @ Short North Gallery Hop
necklace: Claire's, about 5 or 6 years ago

Is this a pretty close copy of this outfit? Maybe. But it's the end of the challenge and to be honest, I'm running out of ideas. I can't wait to get my whole closet back! It will feel like I just went on the biggest shopping spree ever!

There I go again, talking about shopping. Ugh.

So, today's post has some homework. And you thought you were off the hook, with it being summer. Well, the school of VM never takes breaks! Muah ha ha ha!

Seriously, it's fun stuff.
- Enter my giveaway, if you haven't already. Ends Friday!
- If you have an account on 20 Something Bloggers (20SB), you should vote for me for the August featured blogger here. First person to vote for me gets a vote FROM me for their blog in return ;)
- If you have tips for saving money or whatnot, share! I need all the help I can get, haha.

Also...I don't say this enough, but I love you all. Really. Each and every one of you who reads this: you are awesome. And thank you. *muah*

Forgetful me

Silly me forgot to put up these photos from Saturday. The plan was to post these yesterday, but I was completely overwhelmed and overexcited by the fact that our New York City vacation is officially back on! I absolutely love the city, and Matt's never been, so we're both super excited that the trip isn't cancelled after all. My aunt and uncle live in New Jersey, about an hour outside the city, and we'll be staying with them. It's going to be lovely :)

(On a related note...would anyone like to guest-post for me while I'm gone? Email me: verbal{dot}melange{at}gmail{dot}com.

And now, here's what I wore on Saturday:

items: 7, 16, 30
belt: thrifted
necklace: Claire's, about five years ago (haha)

First, I just want to say again how much I looooove these shoes. Every time I put them on, I smile because I remember they're Banana Republic and they only cost me $15. Thanks, Rag-o-rama :)

Anyway, Saturday I went to my friend's going away party. He got a job out in Santa Fe, working for a weekly newspaper. Super jealous, and super, super sad to see him go. This guy hired me for my first real-world job...*sniff* But the part was a lot of fun, and I know he'll do really well out in the southwest. Best of luck to you, Reyan!

Thrift Love

How is it that I lived in Columbus nearly a year without visiting Rag-o-rama?? It's a crime against nature, I tell you. If you're not familiar, Rag-o-rama is this amazing consignment shop in Clintonville. Ah. Maze. Ing. Tons of great vintage, but also a lot of more contemporary styles and whatnot. And the accessories...oh, the accessories.

I found an INCREDIBLE pair of shoes (look for those tomorrow/Thursday) and this shift dress, which is perfect because it's exactly what I've been looking for. Heaven.

Dress: H&M via Rag-o-rama
Belt: Target
Necklace: Claire's? (years ago, don't remember)
Shoes: Mossimo via Target

Yep. I'm officially hooked on thrifting.

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Happy June everyone! I like June because it's the start of summer aaaaand it's my birth month :) Just two weeks from Friday!

I'd like to take a moment to announce a little change in direction for this blog. Originally I had intended to make this blog a mashup of everything...a little style, a little food, a little home décor, etc. But I've come to realize something. I try to dress well every day (excluding, perhaps, some weekends). But I don't necessarily cook every day, nor do I do something for my home. Sometimes I'm just too lazy to cook; last week I didn't make a damn thing. I lived off Kraft mac & cheese and leftovers. And we don't really have the money to be redecorating a lot, plus we're thinking of moving from an apartment to a house (!!!) so that's a bit pointless for the moment.

So. Announcing the re-branding of Verbal Mélange as primarily a style blog! I'll probably keep the name for simplicity, and from time to time I'll probably post a few non-style things. But for the most part, it's style :) Re-organize your RSS feed accordingly, haha.

And now for today's photos! Last week I asked you all about a certain pair of green shoes...

Dress: H&M
Shoes: Walmart last year
Bracelet: actually a very old necklace from Claire's
Necklace: don't remember

...and you convinced me not to recolor them! I'm still struggling with how to style them, mostly in terms of what kind of top to wear if I pair them with jeans. But I'll figure it out! You all have inspired me to push my boundaries a bit :)

Only two photos today. Mostly because this is a long post, but also because not many other turned out. I hate having to take indoor shots...

Exhausted!

Okay guys, I just want to apologize right now for (relatively) infrequent/irregular posting. My goal is to post at least twice a day, but I feel like this week is going to be a long one, based on the fact that April has been a neverending line of tasks, trips, deadlines and missed deadlines. This weekend in particular has left me feeling completely exhausted. That being said, I’m popping in quickly today for a brief post. Hopefully, the week will be calmer than I’m anticipating and I can get back on track!
Not quite sure what I was thinking when it comes to poses for this day (sometime last week). Oh, well.

Shirt: thrifted
Skirt/belt combo: Spotted Moth
Faux pearl necklace: New York and Co. or Forever 21?
Faux pearl bracelet: Unclaimed lost & found item at the bar where I used to work
Brown necklace and bracelet: Don’t remember
Earrings (both pairs): Claire's
Shoes: Payless

This was my first-ever purchase from Spotted Moth, and I love it! It’s a kind of faux-suede material that requires hand-washing, however, so I may not wear it as often as I like. I’m pretty lazy about laundry. But this skirt came with a sweet, detachable brown belt (which I’ve desperately needed) AND it has pockets. Score!

I’m not quite sure if I’ll jump on the maxi skirt/dress bandwagon because I’m really tall and ankle-length hemlines tend to make me feel matronly. But I can definitely say that I’m loving the midi-length look. My Easter dress was also a midi; I’m sure I’ll remix it sometime soon (I’m thinking with a blazer), so keep an eye out!

Apologies for the vagueness of my jewelry sources for today. I’ve come to realize that most of my jewelry is years old and I’ve forgotten where I bought it. Plus, clothes and shoes have labels that help me remember where I bought it…jewelry doesn’t.

Saturday Night's Alright

This is the first time I’ve ever posed in front of a camera as a model (as opposed to posing for a family portrait, or drunkenly leering at a bar or party). I know it’s hard to tell, because I look so incredibly comfortable in front of the camera.

Not.
Truth be told, this was one of the most awkward things I’ve ever done. And that is really saying something, as I’m one of the most awkward/self-conscious people I know. Maybe it’s because Boyfriend was shooting, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that he thought this was dumb. Or vain.


In true form, I started pouting halfway through the shoot. Eventually I stopped being stupid about it and just smiled.

Shirt: H&M via Plato's Closet
Jeans: Silver, via the clearance rack at Macy’s
Shoes: Payless
Necklaces: Claire’s, about four or five years ago
Bracelets: don’t remember…maybe gifts?

And let’s face it. It's highly likely that Boyfriend is right. This probably is a little dumb/vain. I mean, the odds of this blog becoming a must-read for anyone other than my mother and good friends are slim to none.

But I want to get back into the habit of documenting my life, and what better way to do that than with a blog? And who knows. Maybe a few awkward, self-conscious people will see this and think, “If she can dress well, then anyone can!” (That, my friends, is true. The question remains as to whether I can develop any personal style.)

In the meantime, I say it's time to celebrate the beginning of what will probably be a fun project at the least. I propose a toast: To success, be it self-discovery or Internet semi-fame.