{my outfit} red heels

I recently went thrift shopping! Whoo Hoo! This is an outfit that I made using one of the blouses that I bought. I hope you enjoy the photos, as I had to climb onto rocks in heels to do so!




What I'm Wearing: Vintage Thrifted Sheer Blouse; Vintage Thrifted Multi-Colored Purse; Black Cocktail Ring; Black Vintage Belt; Red Heels

{bargains} shopping shopping shopping!

I went shopping today. I've got to say, today was thrift shopping at its greatest. I found lots of great items, for less then $25. Sweet.

What I bought: 3 vintage silk blouses, a red vintage dress, 2 vintage purses, 2 vintage button downs, a vintage cardigan, and last but not least, a vintage red belt. 


Expect to see some new outfits showing up on here within the next few days.... (: 

P.S Sorry for not posting! I don't have great internet access here. Darn.

{my outfit} happy birthday, America

I wore this outfit on the 4th of July, and I am proud to say that I didn't ruin my shirt with food. I watched the annual 4th of July parade in Bailey's Harbor, WI and munched on brats and pop--yum! What did you do for the 4th?

What I'm wearing: Vintage red&white striped crop top; brown lensed, blue framed sunglasses; black scalloped edge high waisted shorts; brown woven flats; rings made from silver spoons&forks; brown purse

{my outfit} dress the part

On the way to my Grandpa's house in Door County, WI, I saw a sign for the Spam Museum and knew that I had to go. Those cheesy tourist spots are the funnest places to visit after you've been stuck in the car for 6 hours a day, for 6 days. With my Nikon fully juiced, I snapped shots of "Spammy" and all the different flavors of spam-- I even watched a bit of Monty Python! This photo was taken at the museum. 




What I'm wearing: Floral And Lace Dress; Jeffrey Campbell Woven Flats; Vintage Brown Lens Sunglasses; Vintage Brown Skinny Belt

{my outfit} shorts

It's hot. I have never been a girl who does well in the heat, and since I live in an area that stays pretty chill all year round, 80 degrees is HOT for me. So, what do you do when it's hot out? You wear shorts! I picked up this pair of shorts from a local Urban Outfitters store, and I splurged ($48!). But let me tell you, they were worth every cent!


What I'm Wearing: Nautical Print Blouse w/ nude colored mesh top; black scalloped shorts, vintage brown belt, Jeffrey Campbell brown woven flats

{on my radar} clip-on earrings

I don't know what it is about clip-ons, but I love them. They bring back memories of playing in my Grandma's jewelery box, and pulling out her large clip-on earrings and pilling them onto my toddler sized ears. They hurt, are often heavy, and to some they may look cheap-- but not to me. And since this blog is about independent style, I thought I would post about one of my more unusual fashion-crazes at the moment.
(image from modcloth.com)

Generally when I shop for jewelery I like to stick to vintage stores, thrift stores, and second hand shops--full price is a huge turnoff for me. But this past weekend I was online shopping, trying to find a pair of shoes, and happened to stumble upon a great pair of clip-on earrings from Modcloth! They're pretty well priced, only $12.99 for a  pair. And to sweeten the deal, it got rave reviews! Modcloth is great because costumers can post reviews about the items, so you won't be stuck with an ill-fitting pair of slacks, or a too-tight-here and too-loose-there kind of garment. This particular pair of clip-on square studs got 5/5 stars- that's great! I don't know about you, but after this post, I'm heading back to Modcloth and purchasing a pair!

{blast from the} past

I love vintage things, whether it be clothes or furniture, there's always a place in my heart for pre-owned things. Not only is it great for the environment, you are also showing your individuality, generally saving money, and wearing an item with a story behind it-- it's up to you to figure it out.

Where I live, around half the stores I see are vintage, second-hand or thrift stores, which is great for those who love pre-loved items. Sadly, in more remote areas you may not see this kind of shopping, in that event your best option is to surf the world wide web. Ebay, Etsy and many other stores sell straight from the vendor, where you can communicate with the dealer. Other online vintage stores are set up like any other online retailer, you put the item in your basket and pay with the plastic in your wallet. But no matter where you shop, the same rules apply:

1. Read all of the product information. You wouldn't want to spend $50 on a vintage dress with a huge stain on the back. 
2. Know your measurements, most retailers will list the size printed on the tag, what size it looks, and the exact measurements of the garment. Read them, compare them to your own measurements. Use that measuring tape!
3. Don't be gullible. We all would like to believe that the world is perfect, and that dealers won't rip you off, but that isn't always the case. Stores like Etsy and Ebay have user feedback, so you can normally tell if they are a real store that is reputable. Other places may not have that handy feature, so it's up to your common sense to figure it out. Try asking yourself these questions: Does it look professional? Have I heard of this store before? Do I know anyone who has heard of this store? and Do they have a Better Business Bureau rating? 
4. Continuing on Rule #3's thought, check out the Better Business Bureau. They have accredited stores that you know you cant trust.
5. Yelp! Everyone loves Yelp, and if you can't seem to determine whether the site is safe, Yelp it! If you don't know about Yelp already, it is a site where users can post reviews about stores in their area. All you have to do is go to Yelp, type in a store name, a type of store, or a tag and then the location. 
6. If all other options are coming up short, check the URL when you begin the checkout process. If the URL starts with : "https://" then you know that it is a secured network. 

Have fun surfing the web, be safe, and find some great vintage finds! If you're in the mood for shopping right now, check out these sites, which I have personal experience with, so you can be sure that they are safe! (:

• Nasty Gal: They sell new and vintage pieces on an online only store
• LA Vintage: A large selection of high-quality vintage pieces, and many vintage designer pieces. 
• Etsy: There are many vendors on this site, use the rules above to find a great piece. 

Thanks for reading! Check out my other posts! (: Cassie

{quote} it

"The only rule is don't be boring and dress cute wherever you go. Life is too short to blend in."

 -Paris Hilton

I may not be a huge fan of this blond-bombshell, but she speaks the truth. Fashion and style lies in those who have the courage to break away from the pack and stand out-- don't blend in.

{my outfit} vintage swim-wear

This past weekend I took a little trip down to the beach. It was probably the one warm day this month that I could actually walk around in my swimsuit and not have goose-bumps. The romper-looking outfit that I'm wearing is actually a swimsuit, a vintage swim suit to be exact. I got it around December in Oakland at a boutique called Pretty Penny. I got it for around $10, thinking that I could alter it and then use it as a romper. But I guess that I turned out loving it as a swimsuit, and now I always try and find ways to wear it!

I only got pictures of the front of it, but the back has a nice scoop, which goes down to about 3/4 of my back--very cute! I feel that the scoop in the back off-sets the overall modesty of the swimsuit, but I still felt a tad covered up when standing next to the majority of the teenage girls there. I wore the swimsuit with a nice pair of vintage shades and my over-worn Jeffrey Campbell woven brown flats. All in all, I love my swimsuit, and my modest sense of style. I guess that's the meaning of being {indie} independent, it's your own independent take on trends and fashion, because in the end, individuality overpowers all else.

{weekend} fashion

This weekend has been hectic, so I have been lagging in the fashion department. I attempted some cute new outfits, and took a few shots of them as well, but I have yet to develop my film! Normally I would be using my digital camera, but I didn't want to lose it over the weekend (or get it sandy, I went to the beach!), so I picked up a few at CVS Pharmacy. Check in later this week for those photos, and my chictopia account! 

Thanks, Cassie 

{my outfit} vintage

One of my favorite things in the world, is finding a great vintage item for a low price: Say "Hello!" to my vintage 50's floral dress! I love this dress, and whenever I wear it I get loads of compliments. Since the 50's were a pretty modest time, this dress is slightly mature for my 14 year old figure, so I paired it with torn stockings and wedge-flats. I normally would have veered away from torn stockings, but I thought that they off-set my mature dress, and made more of a carefree and teenage look. I hope you like my outfit!

P.S I plan to post more of my outfits, maybe once a week? Check back often to see more, and check out my chictopia account! I post my looks there all the time, so tell me what you think! Thanks!

{quote} it

"When in doubt, wear red."

-Bill Blass

{my} stuff

A lot of people ask me where I buy my clothes, and how they can get them, too. Since I am still transitioning from my winter closet to my summer one, I have lost track of the clothes that I own and have begun organizing them in piles. Instead of sifting through those piles, I thought I would share with you some clothes that I recently purchased. This past weekend, in fact, I splurged and purchased a pair of mens-wear inspired slacks from American Apparel, the ones in the image. I love them! Buy them online at americanapparel.com. At {indie} independent, we love to try out all trends, and love to make them our own! I wore these pants with a tan loose top, vintage belt, and Jeffrey Campbell woven flats! So cute! And as my friends say, "I'm reppin' Dickies!" 

Another outfit that people tend to ask where I purchased it, tends to be my high-waisted jeans with a red and white striped crop top. I found great high-waisted jeans from Urban Outfitters, and they flatter everyone's figure! And for only $58, it's a great buy! Buy them online at urbanoutfitters.com. I love the high-waisted jean trend, and the nautical theme trend, so why not incorporate both? Try an outfit like the one in the image to the right. Sorry for the odd angle (I was ordering food. Yay, Greek food!), but as you can see, I am wearing a skinny brown belt (vintage), the high-waisted jeans, my red and white crop top (vintage), Jeffrey Campbell brown woven flats (not pictured; you can purchase other Jeffrey Campbell shoes at nordstroms.com), a brown cross-body bag (vintage, I think) and a gold Scottie-dog brooch (vintage; sorry, it's small). Most of my vintage pieces are from Goodwill, or Urban Ore (a recycling drop off center for re-usable materials, in Berkeley, Ca). I also love Etsy shops, and I can always find great items (my red and white crop top!). 

Thanks! I hope you have some ideas of where to shop now, and hopefully I have answered your questions! (:

{don't forget the} hair

So you have the outfit, shoes and accessories, but what's missing? The hair. It's the make-it or break-it finishing touch on everyoutfit, so don't forget it when you're cruising the town with your friends this summer. At {indie} independent, we're here to help, so read our simple rules to follow this summer, and never have a bad hair-day again!

Hair cuts anyone?

• Keep them short: bobs, bangs (fringes) and layers.
• Keep it natural: don't change your own hair, instead keep its natural volume, texture and shape

Braid, baby!

• Braids are in: keep them messy, and loose.
• Use ribbons, pins, bows and hats to express your style when wearing the braids.
• Make 1 or more braids, and use your creativity to make a one-of-a-kind, unique look.

You're my honey bun.

• Buns aren't only for librarians anymore, you can wear them, too!
• Again, keep it messy. Summer 2010 is about being carefree, and peaceful.
• Incorporate 2 trends! Try a braided bun! For help on how to construct your own braid-bun, check out the video!

Sunny out? Shade yourself!

• Skin cancer is something that none of us want, so do what you can to protect your skin!
• Sunscreen is a basic necessity, apply it while you apply your makeup, and reapply as needed throughout the day.
• Wear hats! It's a fashionable way to protect yourself, try a boater hat or a fedora-- there are so many styles out there, why not try them all? In the image below, the men are wearing a boater hat. Women can also wear these hats, which contributes to the mens-wear influenced trend.

Upgrade your color for summer!

• If you plan to dye your hair for the new season, follow these rules:

1. Bold, rich color: no more muted shades
2. Strawberry, honey, caramel and red hues are in.
3. Make your color warm, and shoot for blonde with warm under-tones.
4. Remember: Keep it natural

Thanks! Have fun (:

Welcome!

Welcome to {indie} independent! This is my first blog, so please be patient with the posting! This blog is dedicated to those who are looking for trends that directed towards those who don't follow the pack, or are independent. I hope to post everyday, or as often as I can, with posts about current trends, fashion, life and anything else that would interest my readers and myself!

Thank you, and please keep reading! :)