Busy Busy, but big, big plans!

Noa and I snuck away for a quick girl-time meet up at a nail salon recently. We've both been so incredibly busy lately, that it's been tough to do all the designing and thrift/vintage re-doing that we're accustomed to. So we literally (no joke) pinned a jacket in the corner of the salon, right next to the new Katie Perry OPI line. We got a few strange looks, but made the most of our time, and were also able to settle into some much needed relaxation for the both of us. Stay tuned next week for some awesome renovations!

With Love, 

Tanya D

(For details and pics of my entire look - go here!)

Trend report: Denim does it

I recently pulled this tear from In Style magazine's August issue. The long, denim shirt was such an easy look that I instantly wanted to wear it.

As it so happens, I had a fuzzy vest that I'd bought on sale from F21 during the winter. And I had fringey boots from Michael Kors which I'd loved for years but not gotten a ton of wear out of thus far.

All that was needed to complete this look was a long, denim shirt. And guess what I found last Sunday at my favorite thrift stores' "dollar" sale?

You guessed it! Denim shirt! For a buck! All it needed was a single replacement button.

Tanya and I shot this look to remind ourselves how wonderfully easy and inspiring it can be to rip out a page or a look we love and then re-create it so effortlessly via thrift. True, you won't always find your "key" piece on the first round, but you'll usually find at least one out of every three or four things on your list that will put you on the path towards your fashion goals for a fraction of the price.

And is there anything more enjoyable than emulating a tear sheet for a $1.00?

Happy thrifting!!

Love,

Noa B 

Shirt: via dollar thrift
Boots: Michael Kors, Nordstrom, 4 seasons ago
Vest: F21 Online

Brave: For "T"

I've been doing a lot of thinking about the word "brave". What does bravery mean? How do we define it? How do we see it in others? And how do we characterize individual acts of bravery?

I don't want to get too deep. After all, this is a blog, not a confessional. But for me, part of bravery has derived from making peace with myself, embracing the way I look, and then being a bit more public about it. Part of the beauty of blogging is seeing how bold others are, and letting it inspire you to do the same!

I bought this American Apparel jumpsuit about 3 months ago with Tanya's gorgeous sister Lisa. We were working on a two day video shoot together and after work, we went a'thrifting and I came across this sheer number. Lisa is brave, and she would've worn this baby weeks ago!

I however, am less so. Don't get me wrong. I love my fashion. I love this jumpsuit. But I was feeling less bold than my petite counterpart. So it sat in my closet all summer waiting to see the light of day.

Today, I decided it was light enough. And out it came for a trial run in the sun. Now I'm brave, but I'm not crazy. It, (and I) still needed a little coverage...;)

So I threw on, (and off) this white, linen blazer I just nabbed at the Sunday, dollar sale. Crisp white just felt so apropos.

I added gladiator heels and a bunch of gold and turquoise jewelry.

Plus a rad, vintage, leather belt that kinda makes me look like Wonder Woman.

So there you have it. A moment of bravery, and then it's back on with the linen jacket so I can go grab a cup of joe and feel just a little bolder, a little braver, and a little proud to be me. I hope you all do the same.

(Dedicated to my fabulous styling guru Tanya Dempsey, who never, ever has a problem being bold, brave, fashionable, and cutting edge. I do this one for you)!

Love, 

Noa B

Jacket: Vintage, (1$)
Bodysuit: American Apparel
Necklace with dragon: Ideeli
Earrings: Tiffany Kunz
Turqoise: Oahu
Chain: Vintage
Bracelets: F21
Shoes: Charles David
Belt: Vintage

Trailer togs--what I wore...

I've always been a fan of tailoring, shoulder pads, and structure. And one of my favorite layering items is a good, boyfriend jacket.  On the set of my latest feature I couldn't get enough of these, boxy, retro, pieces to keep me warm and cozy on those long, long nights.

Saying goodbye to the starwagon that was my home for the better part of six week, (not to mention my amazing cohorts) was a little bittersweet. As I packed down my makeup gear, I reflected on all that I'd accomplished over the past month and a half. 

Finishing up the week the weather became schizophrenic. Warm one moment, cold the next. The answer? Layering... (Something we'll be doing a lot more of now that fall is upon us).

I threw on my favorite light crochet top and acid washed jeans, paired with a treasured thrift find--my Brooks Brothers, pinstriped, boyfriend blazer. A fabulous, NYC purchase, this lightweight wool jacket was the perfect thickness for the on-again, off-again temperature.

A beloved, seed bead necklace, (a gift from my mum, worn in the 70's) and my requisite, chandeliers earrings were all the bling I needed for a work day.

My favorite pair of Jeffrey Campbell, "Chainiator" flats completed my comfy, "set" look.

Although I bought them two seasons ago, they've been a persistent staple in my arsenal of cute, rocker flats.

While a little sad to leave, I was so excited to get back in part to my other life, blogging, thrifting and styling. We have to much to share with you on Secondhand Star as we rev up for fall to bring you the latest and greatest trends, style watches and reconstructs. Look out for upcoming posts on retro coats, blazers, and 80's biz-casual suiting. All coming soon!!

Love,

Noa B

Blazer: Brooks Brothers: 92nd Street Housing Works, New York City

Jeans: Buffalo by David Bitten

Gladiator Flats: Jeffrey Campbell Chainiators

Crochet top: Nordstrom

Chandeliers: Alvera Street

Necklace: Vintage, Israel

Gothic goes glam

Happy Friday thrifty, soul mates!

There's nothing Tanya and I love more than our $1.00, Sunday roaming sprees. We've been in and out of every Out of the Closet, Goodwill, Council thrift and generic resale-r this side of Los Angeles, but the thrill of the dollar score is our favorite kind of sport!

I pounced upon this 1$, black, crepe dress last week, and even Tanya's adorable, kid sister stuck her tongue out at me when I made her try it on for inspiration. (It's a wee bit big and looks a little like something Winona Ryder might have worn in Beetlejuice)...

However, with Miss T's past year of vintage and thrift tutelage, and I can now spot a diamond in the rough and I felt certain there was something here I could work with.

After a particularly long week, I got to work to cut this into something T and I would both love to wear out for an evening of revelry. My first order of business: Trims!!

This dress had the potential to be so neo-60's but it needed a little bling to get it there. (Not to mention a few, major alterations). I used this piece of collar sized trim and stitched it to the neckline after taking up the shoulder about 1".

Next, I removed the arms and closed up the armholes. I also took in the sideseams, waist, ruffles, and back seam.

 

And of course, what SHS makeover would be complete without a new hemline? This one went up about 5".

After cutting, shortening, tightening, overlocking, fixing all the fraying seams, adding some bling and giving it a good press, this baby was ready for a night out. Or should I say, a day for me and night for T? (Check her way of rocking it out here!)

And here's mine: 

 

All ruffles and short hems and ready for an afternoon tea. 

Narrowing the ruffle gave more emphasis to the asymmetrical detail, which I'm mad about! 

I threw on one of my stock, fave clogs--the grommet-ed, Edelman heels. I didn't want my shoes to be too girly. I like my fashion homages to be not quite "on the nose"...

I added a pair on elongated loops, (my mother's silver) and used a vintage, pearl cuff as a hair band.

 

And since the evenings here are cooling down, I added this little shrug top from Lush, (a recent trade at Crossroads) to keep me warm. 

It's really fun thrifting and being able to cut and re-work these babies ourselves, but just remember that if you find something teetering on the edge of glory, you can always take it to a good tailor. All you need is a little vision and the willingness to be fabulous!

Keep on trucking! And don't forget to rent Breakfast at Tiffany's!

Love,

Noa B and Tanya D

Dress: Redesigned vintage thrift, (1$)

Jacket: Lush, (trade)

Shoes: Sam Edelman Zachary clogs

Cuff: Vintage

Earrings: Israel

Color (& blocking) continues into Fall...

Hi loves! I thought I'd give you a bit of a teaser for your mid-week hump day! It seems that color blocking and brights are not going anywhere anytime soon, so I was over the moon when I spotted this bright blue blazer for (you guessed it) $1.00! Check back in soon to see how we tweaked it and styled it with a little inspiration from all the fall runway goodness.

Love, 

Noa B and Tanya D

Fakin' Missoni

Hey Ladies,

How many of you are dying to get your hands on some Missoni brand for Target this week? Starting Tuesday, the legendary, Italian knitwear company will launch another, fashion-meets-cheap-chic line at the low priced, giant. And we here at SHS are always on the prowl for a bargain!

In anticipation of this latest launch, I threw on another frugal, find that reminded me in no small part of those iconic, Missoni striped shirts.The piece was loose and lovely, and was also Italian silk, (though NOT Missoni)...

Can you believe this was procured for 1$? I'd held on to it all summer, waiting for the right swingy, silk skirt to push it on into fall. Alas, LA nights do stay nippy. Especially now that September is in full swing. So I thought I'd throw it on with some skinny jeans and make it comfy casual. Here's my take on applying fakey, designer stripes for a retro-finish.

 Step 1: Throw on some extra large, 70's shades...

 Step 2: Add retro-70's heels. (For me, it's my handy Seychelles with the chunky heel).

Step 3: Throw in hoops and Moroccan inspired bangles. Buff out lips with nude gloss.

 Step 4:  Sweep hair into high pony and wrap a section of hair around the elastic. Secure with bobby pin.

 Step 5: Combine with darkest denim. When I'm sick of my skinnies, I'll tuck in the shirt's length and wear it with high waisted, bell bottom flares. For now, the narrow leg will balance out the caftan-like cut.

Add fringey, hobo bag and stir. Then get in line and await the door's opening at Target this Tuesday for a run on the real thing!

Happy shopping!

Love,

Noa B and Tanya D

Shirt: Via thrift, $1.00
Shoes: Seychelles
Sunglasses: H&M
Bangles: Larchmont sidewalk sale
Denim: Seven by 7

Fashion's Night Out: Abbot Kinney

Happy Friday everyone,

Did you all get a chance to experience Fashion's Night Out this past Thursday? Here in Los Angeles there was a bevy of shows, events, store galas and late night happenings to consider!

We decided to make a go of it in Tanyas stomping ground, Abbot Kinney. Things were so hip here last September we figured, why not re-run? After drinks at Hal's Bar and Grill, we walked the main drag, checked out some boutiques, and then took a spin up to Main Street, Santa Monica to follow the buzz.

And what a great surprise! Like Toucan Sam we followed our thrifty but fabulous noses to a brand new, re-saler boutique called "The Closet". And they had some amazing finds. (Note the Gucci, studded clogs for fall)!

Inside, the owner of this new location was serving cocktails and yummies, and showing the best of the best of the best in re-sale garments and accessories! We couldn't resist the urge to splurge, or to jump into their celebratory, fashion photo booth!

This gal is a talented buyer, and so many goodies were totally affordable! I picked up a belt, a fall, denim inspired shirt, and Tanya found a fabulous pant I know she'll feature in November Grey quite soon. Just a hint of things to come... They're got a tropical theme!

For the evenings festivities, Tanya rocked this spaghetti looped dress which I'm crazy about, (see it again here) along with a vintage DKNY belt, some awesome bangles and a gorgeous, Chloe purse.

I wore my fave, vintage, pailletted top, (one of my first, true vintage pieces bought here last fall) along with a vintage, linen and cotton, pencil skirt. And since we decided to stay walk-ably comfy after a full day of work on both ends, T rocked biker booties and I wore Pour La Victoire, motocycle boots. We were in a great frame of mind having picked sensible shoes for the night!

Isn't this place pretty? We will be coming back soon and often to shop and blog and show you a whole, new thirfting avenue in the weeks to come.

Fashion's Night Out LA was great. But the most fashionable thing in the world, (that never goes out of style) is having a great friend to share it with!

Love, Noa B and Tanya D

On Tanya:
Dress: Vintage
Belt: DKNY vintage
Boots: Unknown brand
Bag: Chloe
Wooden bangles: Thrift
Earrings: F21

On Noa:
Shirt: Vintage
Skirt: Vintage
Boots: Pour La Victoire
Earrings: Abbot Kinney boutique sidewalk sale
Clutch: Bday gift