Outfit: Long Skirts

Spring is finally around the corner. You can spot the occasional flower blooming and I suddenly have the urge to throw on a skirt or dress. A maxi skirt or dress with a jacket or sweater is definetley a practical and comfy way to wear a dress in these cold months. This weekend Ellie and I had a fun night out at Bridgeport Brewery to celebrate a birthday and have some yummy food. We took the oppurtunity to dress up and take some pictures. Coincidentally we both choose long skirts and dresses for our night out. 

Ellie's Outfit:
Jacket: Levi
Skirt: American Apparel
Boots: Nordstroms
Necklace: Homemade, look for a tutorial in the coming weeks!

Maddie is off in beautiful Hawaii, I am very jealous! She will be updating us on her trip as well as including information on her outfit in this post soon! Also did you spot my pedometer in this post? I have started wearing one to track my steps and embarrassingly forgot to take it off for pictures.

Ellie & Maddie

Outfit: Thrifing

With the abundance of stylish people living in Portland, it is easy to find some lightly worn items at the multiple thrift shops around town. Finding a bargain and a great piece can be challenging though. Here are some of our tips:

1. GOODWILL: This is where expensive thrift shops often get their items. If you have the patience and time you can find numerous pieces to add to your wardrobe which usually won't cost more than ten dollars. Our favorite Goodwill is the SuperStore, located in SE Portland. It is massive and we have found tons of deals. 

2. GO NOW:  After the holidays many people have restocked with new clothes, thrift stores therefore get a surplus of items that people have donated to make room in their closets.  We found this to be especially true on our most recent trip to Goodwill, where we each found more quality items than usual. 

3. BRANDS: It may sound obvious but look at labels! A five dollar tank top originally from Fovever 21, may not be as much of a bargain as a cashmere sweater from J Crew. Quality brands tend to hold up better and maintain their fit. Always check for stains, pilling of sweaters, and rips. Some of our favorite brands to look for when thrifting are: Pendleton, J Crew, LL Bean, and Ann Taylor Loft. Finding a vintage Coach bag is the pinnacle of a thrifting experience.  

4. TRY ON: Brave the florescent lights and long lines, it is worth it! Many items at thrift stores made it to the donation pile because of an odd fit or flow. Trying on your finds is essential to knowing if they will work at home, and not end up back at the donation center. Our strategy is to grab a large shopping cart, scan each rack, throw in any possibles, and then try on. We often have twenty items in our cart when we go to the dressing room and walk out with two or three great steals.  

Here are a couple of our latest finds: 

J Crew Sweater

Ellie's Outfit: 

Sweater: Thrifted - Originally J Crew

Dress: J Crew (Similar)

Belt: J Crew (Similar)

Boots: Frye

Bracelet: Gift from Dad :) 

Aztec Skirt

Maddie's Outfit: 

Skirt: Thrifted - We are not sure where it originally came from, but it is awesome! 

Jacket: Levi (Similar - color no longer available) 

Boots: Nordstroms

Happy Thrifting! 

Ellie & Maddie

Outfit: Happy Birthday Jay!

This weekend we took a trip to Bend to celebrate Jay's birthday! We went skiing yesterday morning with our good friends and then headed out to hear music and celebrate. I wanted to wear an outfit that was festive but also practical for being out and about in the cold. My favorite dark jeans, a flowy blouse and a bright necklace will work perfectly.

Ellie's Outfit:
Jeans: Paige Jeans Nordstroms
Blouse: Target (Similar)
Shoes: Target
Necklace: J Crew
Coat: Thrifted

My friend Megan took these photos in her front yard. Isn't her canoe pretty amazing!

What fun plans do you have for the long weekend?

Ellie