A Faraway Look

In my opinion, accessories are the most important part of a summer wardrobe. As the temperature rises, clothing options dwindle, so the fashion-forward gal really has to rely on accents to keep her ensembles interesting. My sponsor, A Faraway Look, specializes exclusively in charming vintage accessories. Check out their beautiful collection!

Double Duty

Top: Urban Outfitters, $10 // Jeans: Urban Outfitters, $28 // Shoes: Goodwill, $4 // Belt: Came with a dress // Ring: JCPenney, $10

Feeling sartorially lazy on Monday, I repeated an outfit I had worn to go out over the weekend. If this get-up reads a little more night at the bar than morning at the office, that's why! I enjoyed wearing it on both occasions.

Perfect Picnic

Top: Thrifted, $2 // Shorts: Courtesy of 80's Purple // Shoes: Thrifted, $1.50 // Necklace: JCPenney, $10 // Ring: JCPenney, $10

After a rather lengthy hiatus, I went shopping for three hours on Friday. After all that browsing, I only ended up buying two shirts and a pair of shoes at Goodwill and two rings at JCPenney (my favorite destination for costume jewelry). At first I lamented the time I had wasted, but after only a few days, I've worn most of the items multiple times. My new conclusion is that I've become a more discerning shopper, so I walk away with smaller but better hauls. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it!

I sported a couple of my fresh finds -- the colorful blouse and perfectly coordinating ring -- for a picnic with friends on Saturday evening. My shorts from last year were a bit snug, but nothing a couple glasses of wine couldn't fix. It was ideal.

Casual Friday

Shirt: Purchased at a Fourth of July show, $10 // Skirt: Target, $10 // Shoes: Thrifted, $3 // Hat: Payless, gift // Necklace: JCPenney, $10 // Ring: JCPenney, $10 // Belt: Thrifted, $1

I rarely wear printed t-shirts, but I love representing my favorite local band, Fourth of July, with this badass eagle shirt. Paired with a jersey skirt, flats and a few accessories, this outfit from last Friday was all about casual comfort.

Sweater Weather

Sweater: Vintage, thrifted, $3 // Jeans: Gap, $10 // Shoes: Vintage via Market Publique, swapped // Necklace: JCPenney, $10

A recent trip to Salvation Army was a bit disappointing. All I walked away with was this striped pink sweater, which I assumed I wouldn't be able to debut till fall. To my delight, this week's mild temperatures allowed me to sport it a couple of times. I wore it with jeans to work and then switched into sassy short shorts for dinner and drinks with friends. As we approach the weekend, I'm definitely feeling the thrifting itch. Hopefully I'll have better luck this time around!

Shorts: Plato's Closet, $11 // Shoes: Lela Rose for Payless, gift

Solstice

Dress: Forever 21, $18 // Necklace: Thrifted, $2 // Belt: Thrifted, $1 // Bracelet: Loft, courtesy of Lucky Magazine // Shoes: Courtesy of ModCloth

 The first day of summer was actually quite cool. I'm not complaining; the breeze felt fabulous, and this earthy outfit featuring a long-sleeved dress was just right for the weather. Kansas summers always promise plenty of heat, so I'll enjoy moderate temperatures while I can.

Something About the Summer

Dress: Vintage, $13.50 // Bandeau: Urban Outfitters, $5 // Shoes: Chinese Laundry via 6pm.com, $10 // Hat: Payless, gift

I wore this easy breezy outfit on both days of an indulgent weekend. Seeing movies, daytime drinking, lake swimming and good eating had me feeling those positive summer vibrations.

Lace Affair

Nana's Hand-Me-Down Dress // Marian the Librarian Blouse // The Farmer's Daughter Dress

I'm currently coveting these delightfully feminine, vintage-inspired pieces from my sponsor Lace Affair. So sweet for summer!

Nine to Five

Dress: Old Navy, $10 // Scarf: Swapped with Kendi // Belt: Thrifted, $1 // Bracelet: Forever 21, $9 // Glasses: Urban Outfitters, $10 // Shoes: Urban Outfitters, gift

Because of the gauzy texture and feminine color palette of the scarf Kendi sent me, I knew I wanted to wear it tied in a bow. Neck-tie blouses and dresses always remind me of retro secretary style, so I went with a vintage-inspired office look. This is my final Scarf Swap outfit, but you can sign up through Sunday. Hope everyone else has as much fun with it as I did!

Into the Wild

Dress: Old Navy, $20 // Scarf: Swapped with Jentine // Necklace: Fred Flare, $14 // Shoes: Courtesy of ModCloth

The stylized animal print scarf that Yen sent me inspired a sort of safari theme. A utilitarian khaki shirt dress seemed like a perfect pairing. The shoes provide a pop of color, and the necklace adds a bit of glam. This scarf project has made putting together outfits really refreshing this week! There's definitely something to mixing up your approach to getting dressed.

Beyond the Sea

Top: Target, $12 // Shorts: GAP, purchased with gift certificate // Shoes: Lucky Brand, courtesy of Lucky Magazine // Scarf: Swapped with Jessie // Necklace: JCPenney, $10

This week, I decided to use my Scarf Swap scarves as the starting point and inspiration for my outfits rather than a finishing touch. First up is this cute little number that Jessie sent me. The colors and lines have a nautical feel to me, so I decided to pair it with a casual weekend look featuring horizontal stripes, bright red shorts and gold accessories.

Using scarves as turbans or headwraps is definitely a favorite style of mine, especially for carefree, on-the-go looks. Jessie knows how to rock a turban (check out her tutorial video!), so I thought she'd approve. I was also inspired to knot my shirt by fellow scarf-swapper Kendi. It's so much easier than tucking a voluminous top!

Check back to see other ways I like to incorporate scarves into my wardrobe.

Scarf Swap!

I'm super excited to announce a fun new project I'm involved in along with some of my all-time favorite fashion bloggers: Jessie, Jentine and Kendi! Jessie masterminded the simple yet genius idea of a scarf swap. Silk scarves are an amazingly versatile accessory. They can be worn many ways and easily add color or pattern to your look. The icing on the cake? They're readily available at thrift stores, flea markets and antique shops and tend to be dirt cheap. I received a scarf from each of the three ladies above, which I'll showcase in outfit posts throughout this week. Now, it's time for you to get in on the scarf-swapping action!

Here's how it works:

-Sign-ups start today and go through Sunday the 19th at noon 

-Send your full name, mailing address, email address & blog URL (if you have one) to jessie [at]theconcretecatwalk [dot] com  

-Participants will be connected with another blogger and notified of their matches on Monday, June 20th

-Everyone who joins should find and send a scarf to their match by the end of this month

-Every one is encouraged to post about the scarf they've received and link back to the person who sent it

(however, non-bloggers are more than welcome to participate!)

A few guidelines:

-The swap is open to residents of the US and Canada

-The scarves should be of good taste and in great condition. Vintage, new, second-hand... whatever you'd like to send, please make sure that it is also something that you would like to receive (while still keeping the purchase price under $10)

-The scarves don't have to be real silk, but please look for the silky square or rectangular shaped ones (like the ones featured in our posts) vs. any type of winter scarves.

-Please ONLY sign-up if you are absolutely sure you can participate.  

Keep in mind, scarves are super easy to ship! I folded mine up small and stuck them in standard letter envelopes. This is a great way to score a cute new accessory and connect with other bloggers!

Stay tuned for my first scarf outfit post coming tomorrow! 

Lovebirds

Dress: Courtesy of LuLu*s // Shoes: Forever 21, $25 // Bracelet: Courtesy of Loft // Clutch: Courtesy of Accessorize

I love any excuse to get dolled up, and a friend's wedding last night provided just that. I opted for this sweet coral number from LuLu*s. Paired with my floral wedges, I felt summery and carefree but still dressy. My favorite part about this frock is the deep V in the back, so I really wish I had remembered to photograph it. There's something so demurely alluring about low-cut backs. Next time!

Mellow Yellow

Top: Britches, $10 // Skirt: Courtesy of Nosilla V. // Shoes: Lucky Brand via Rue La La, purchased with credit // Belt: Thrifted, $1 // Necklace: JCPenney, $10

I went for a monochromatic look yesterday by pairing this cheery yellow skirt with a matching tube top. A cropped blazer kept things modest for the office. 

After work, I made my way downtown to have some wine with friends. My boyfriend recently surprised me by completely renovating my old vintage bicycle, so I'll be happily riding it all summer long.

Win Some, Lose Some

Dress: Thrifted, $5// Belt: Thrifted, $1 // Socks: Gap, $4 // Shoes: Urban Outfitters, gift // Necklace: JCPenney, $10

This look started with the sock and shoe combination. I knew I wanted to incorporate denim in some way, and this form-fitting shirtdress was all I could muster. The combination didn't quite work in my eyes, but it was time to go to work, so I just went with it. While a flouncy, full-skirted denim skirt or dress would have done the trick, that's surprisingly something I don't own. Well, besides this one, which is too short for most occasions. Two sidenotes on that ancient post: I'm wearing that same tube top today, and I almost forgot my hair used to look like that! Anyway, my radar is now switched on, and I can't wait to hit up some thrift stores this weekend to track down a new denim skirt.