So today, the most stylish and lavishly dressed women in our office – whose daily casual outfits easily have cost ranges upwards of $1000 plus – said that I need to take her shopping.

Too funny.

The office doesn’t know about my new heavy thrifting lifestyle, or this challenge. I kind of keep my personal life to myself (although they are very sweet people!). She has complimented every single outfit I’ve worn this year. She’s even called out some of the brand labels too, like “that’s Michael Kors, isn’t it?” or “My daughter has that same jacket…from Gap, right?”

Admittedly, I’m not sure I will, or can even tell them now. I think I missed my opportunity to do so. I actually got cornered into a conversation with her and a group of others about shopping and getting styled at White House | Black Market “to save money”. I don’t think they realized that I wasn’t chuckling in agreement. I was actually thinking to myself, “girl, every WHBM piece I own came from a thrift store, I didn’t even know White House Black Market had actual stores.” True story.

I just went along as they asked my opinion about colors and textures and prints and trends and stuff they say in Vogue and on TV. I played along. Is that considered lying? Honest question.

All that to say, I kinda feel like I’m now in the fashion in-crowd at work. But do I deserve that honor? I’m gonna go out on a limb, and give a resounding, HELL YEA!!!

It’s not what you wear...or how much you pay….it’s HOW you wear it!

And I’ll even go a step further. I wear the same brand labels they wear for up to 90% LESS than what they pay. I AM WINNING!

So what am I wearing?

I’m not too much of a print mixer – I need more confidence…or at least a stylist to MAKE me do it more, because I always love it on everyone else – but I tried it today, and I think it works.

And one of my favorite things ever is to wear a pop of color. That’s actually what started my conversation with Miranda Priestly (the stylish lady at work – she’s not the devil though). She stopped me to ask if all black and a pop of color was a thing. She thought my combination was really dope, and said that she’d been scared to rock it – even though the stylist at WHBM tried to make her do it. She said she’s going to try it after seeing me in it.

Look at me, setting fashion trends and stuff. *insert smirk here*

Any who, here’s the breakdown:

White leopard scarf - $0

Gifted – well, taken – from my cousin CK Nelson, who by the way, is an incredible clothing designer

Silk Black and White Striped Michael Kors Blouse - $7

Attic Treasures, Chamblee, GA (brand new with $80 Nordstrom tags still attached)

Neon J. Crew Pencil Skirt - $1

St. Vincent de Paul, Chamblee, GA

Black Moto Jacket - $5

Attic Treasures Thrift Shop, Chamblee, GA

Black kickaround slouch Boots (I don’t know why I call them that) - $5

St. Vincent de Paul, Chamblee, GA

- Kaye

@okkKaye