nerds

how to get out of a funk 101: go to the thrift store, dudes! i found both this vintage sweater and this vintage ascot polka dot blouse on a much-needed thrifting run yesterday evening. amazing how two pieces can open up a wardrobe. thanks to these two items, i got the opportunity to pull out these old huaraches from hiding and i rediscovered my old glasses which i hadn’t worn since i got those phillip lims. but most importantly, i finally figured out how to wear this beautiful steven alan skirt i recently acquired.

i’ve said this on my blog before: my ideal wardrobe would just be a mix of vintage and designer. but since i can’t really afford designer clothes, it’s a mix of designer and high street for now. but thanks to the gilt groupe sales, i might finally have my opportunity to incorporate more designer pieces into my wardrobe. if you haven’t joined, you can use my invite code. totally worth it, even if you just want to do some “window shopping.”

but moving along, since i’ve been offering you some little-known facts about myself lately, i’ll add something else into the mix: when i was in high school (from ’97 to ’01 for reference), i was totally into looking like a complete nerd. since i have really bad vision anyway, i always wore this silly pair of thick rimmed cat eye glasses and a calculator watch, and all of my pants were high waters. no joke. it was right after my punk phase and i started listening to silly post-punk emo-pop like the get up kids and mineral and the promise ring and joan of arc. phew! that was actually pretty embarrassing to admit… but i blame ian mackaye.

anyway, my high school self would have been pretty proud to know that my 26 year old self was wearing this today.



i had to include this shot. the sign in the background is the back of the grand lake theater in oakland, ca. it opened in 1926 and used to hold vaudeville and silent movie showings. they still play movies there today and it’s right within walking distance of my house!


wearing:
vintage prescription glasses, thrifted
vintage burnt orange sweater, thrifted
vintage polka dot ascot blouse, thrifted
steven alan skirt, courtesy of gilt groupe
merino wool tights, wolford
vintage huaraches, thrifted
vintage coach purse, thrifted

46 comments

  1. I love love love this outfit. The polka dots and the orange are fantastic!!! And you pulled off a bow-tie (esque) look! Very cute!

  2. So adorable! It is great that you found both of those wonderful pieces in the same thrifting trip!

    I graduated in '01 too…. only I wore high waters because I truly was a nerd! Haha…in my small little town "long inseams" were not available, and I am 5'10! Glad those days are behind me!

  3. Cute as always!! :)
    Thanks for sharing about gilt!! I have actually been meaning to register for quite a while now but I always forget!

  4. what a cutie! that red sweater is darling. it's so hard to find good quality knitwear these days. it's lamentable. anyway, you look beautiful.

  5. You look superb in this outfit. I adore those glasses on you, and the blouse/sweater combo is just fantastic!

    I'm on the other side of the lake (near the sadly closed Parkway), but looking to move into your 'hood. There are so many great restaurants, bars (The Alley!), and the lake is so close. Also, I love the Grand Lake Theater! I've seen several movies there including Planet Earth and Sicko! I love that they still have the organist… Oakland is so freaking rad.

  6. I think this look is so adorable! I love the retro, quirky, secretary look on you! So so so lovely!

    And beautiful color scheme, too!

    colormenana.blogspot.com

  7. I love the grand lake theater photo. Gorgeous! I love your high school tidbit, too. I was still deep in my punk rock phase during high school, and was big into wearing dude clothes. I was not awesome. You look fabulous in this outfit!

  8. you're just too much erin, you just keep getting better better and better!!! love those colors on you!!! ADORABLE!!!

  9. i have been itching to go thrifting as well. as soon as i'm home for christmas i'm dragging my little sister to goodwill with me. sweet shoes by the way. i looked for a similar pair all summer with no luck.

  10. love this! a bit librarian chic, no? fantastic shoes. love your phillip lim glasses of course but great to see these making an appearance again! :)

  11. love the glasses! and the intellectual look.

    & it's so funny, but i was at the grand lake last week seeing the fantastic mr. fox ! i love that theater, and the movie was great too, btw. i live in berkeley, how crazy.

  12. I have a pair of shoes just like that! I haven't worn them for months though. They aren't really snow shoes.

  13. I miss my high school nerdy years. Are those really your glasses?

    Although I've only been out for two years. I still feel the same, mainly cause I still own things from high school.

  14. Also, you should totally post a picture of yourself from high school. I remember wearing the most ridiculous get-ups in high school. I had creepers with cherries on them. Nuf said.

  15. You look super cute!

    ALSO: my favorite favorite favorite favorite bands in high school were Joan of Arc and the Promise Ring and all of those bands! Thank you for reminding me of those (if not a slightly embarrassing and mostly pleasant) times..

    xo Jenny
    Fashion for Writers

    PS-I've been loving loving loving Gilt (maybe a bit too much.)

  16. I wish I could say that I've ever had that much luck on a thrifting trip. I just love that polka dot blouse with the sweater. Adorable outfit!

  17. Seriously CUTE. Seriously. I mean that sweater was a perfect color choice with everything else.
    xo

  18. Really original look! I like your style, it's a mix between amazing, courious and really trendy. So personal in choosing colours, tones and details. Very very good!
    =)

  19. hah my sister has the EXACT SAME purse! and she thrifted it too. she got it for, like, 5 dollars or something like that. p.s. LUUURRRRVVVEEE YOUR OUTFITS!! …hope you don't mind, but i kinda went a little crazy today and copied one of them. :-) tee hee! you're awesome. -kaila

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