double whammy

i know i rarely put up photos of my daily outfits, but as long as i'm doing this whole "'dress like you mean it" campaign (see post below), i might as well document it, right?

it was a saturday afternoon and sarah, one of my term-time suitemates, was making her second-ever excursion to staten island. the first time she visited, we'd gone to see the dark knight (since most manhattan theaters were sold out), and a verbal, almost-physical altercation had broken out during the movie, eliciting a visit from the police, lots of anxiety, a partially ruined film showing, and a gift certificate to regal movie theaters on behalf of the theater manager. the second time around, i opted to show her the more culturally-sensitive, less guido-filled side of the island (as out of line as belmar mayor ken pringle was, there were notes of truth to what he said). we hung out near the ferry around st.george and stapleton, sampling the coffee shops, vintage stores, and general atmosphere.

left (yesterday) - headscarf: papaya; top: vintage; jeans: h&m; shoes: mama pandora;
right (today) - headband: urban outfitters; top: gap; jeans: vintage; shoes: nine west. i'm happier than i look. promise.
sarah had just found a beautiful mid-calf length, semi-sheer floral dress (like something you'd find at urban outfitters for less than half the price) at everything goes and was trying it on in the fitting room while i prowled the 80's racks, unsure of exactly what it was that i was looking for. i encountered a cropped white denim jacket with white lace sleeves, and discreetly placed it back on the rack. i'm not quite that daring - yet. there were tons of bright, cheekily patterned little tops that screamed 'bayside high', but nothing struck my fancy until i pulled a gray, blue, and purple crop top in oversized plaid off the rack and held it out at arm's length for examination. not only was it different from most of the tops i own, its print was strong but not overpowering, the length was just long enough to not be indecent, and it had no shoulder pads (major selling point). the selection process didn't take long; i tried it on right then and there and slapped down eight dollars for it in a matter of minutes.

we were almost out the door when sarah spied a maxi-length black and gold floral skirt (the girl loves her florals, what can i say). while she decided whether or not to buy it, my eye fell upon a light denim pair of wide-leg jeans. no one loves her skinnies more than me, but something told me i couldn't pass these up. i scurried off to the fitting room and pulled them on. spying myself in the mirror, i grabbed my phone and dialed sarah, located somewhere near the front of the store. had she answered, i would have sang gleefully, "i've just found the coolest jeans ever!" and giddily invited her to the fitting room to share my joy. but she didn't answer, and i had to prance awkwardly towards the entrance, barefoot and wearing store merchandise, quickly beckoning her to the back before my fitting room door closed and locked me out.

i love these jeans. love. they are complete and absolute perfection in every way. the wash is clear and uninterrupted by signs of wear and the fabric is of the perfect thickness, such that it seems impossible to wrinkle it, despite being packed in my luggage for a full week. they fit like a glove on my hips but are a bit large on my waist (story of my life), but until i get them fixed, any belt remedies the situation almost perfectly. i expect to be wearing these jeans excessively as fall rolls around, and in the springtime, and next summer..

oh, and with those jeans at twelve dollars, the entire shopping trip topped out at a grand total of twenty bucks. plus two free silk scarves, one for each purchase. oh, how i love a good thrifting trip.