coachella | AquarEye

I am elated to finally present my first blog post and to introduce what will become a project that will fuel years of passion and ideas into action. Before I get into the content, I’d like to lay the groundwork of what has taken so long and what it means to me. I’ll get into my purpose and the importance in another post. Get ready! It’s about to get real verbose in here (you can always skip to the pictures).

The truth is that I have been grappling with the confliction that has barricaded each stint of progress while planning this blog. I have been coming to terms with the fact that I am indeed passionate about a cultural force that brings much satisfaction, expression and creativity on an individual level while having damaging effects on the environment with an industry that under values and mistreats its workers to feed a insatiable drive for consumption and waste.

Fix: Recycled, Surplus, Fair-Trade and Handmade Fashion!

I have also been torn with taking photos of my personal style. I am a behind the camera kind of girl with a deep love for photography. That being said, I am ridiculously uncomfortable in front of a camera and have this amazing ability to appear completely unnatural and awkwardly un-photogenic. Other reservations have been contiguous with the concept of vanity. I have a difficult time being in front of a mirror and the idea of taking, editing, and working with photos of me is something that I long thought would be difficult for me to do whole heartedly and with the earnestness that I expect for the quality of content that I’m after.

Fix: Recruit my beautiful friends to help and get over my qualms and build some confidence! It’s not about me; it’s about personal expression, creativity, imagery, design, art and the magnificence of the human machine.

Then there is the question: When am I going to have time for all of this? I have been apprehensive about throwing another ball of fire into my juggling routine – I am blessed with a full time job, an amazing and supportive boyfriend, fabulous friends, a jubilant dog companion, an online business, and a whole host of activities and projects that keep me busy and active. In another couple of months I’ll be throwing school into the mix which will make for a vivacious whirlwind of productivity.

Fix: Blog about it! Write and capture snapshots of my lifestyle and what consumes me, excites me, and keeps me going strong.

Lastly, what has been the biggest hurdle of all was not having a quality camera or blog design that would meet my standards of how I imagined the look, feel and overall experience would be for the reader.

Fix: Stop making lame excuses and make do with what I have! The layout maybe cookie cutter, the photos may not be of striking quality but this is a work in progress. I will be constantly growing, evolving, progressing this space and that may just be the most beautiful and natural element about it!

So here you have it – My first post! I’m ready to get my foot in the door to the astoundingly dynamic and diverse world of style bloggers. I have put a lot into this one and I will do my best to keep my content rich and alive, vibrant and fun, inspiring and thought provoking, danceable, laughable and energized! If you read my ramble, wow! Thank you! If you stuck with where your eyes were drawn – I certainly don’t blame you.

THE THRIFTY GIRLS GUIDE TO UNIQUE SUMMER FESTIVAL STYLE

I love festivals. I love the freeform community that is built over a couple of days. It’s as if the energy that each person emits jolts everyone collectively and unites with the buzzing vibrations to create an electrification of togetherness that is marvelously invigorating. A byproduct is a culture of acceptance that radiates through the crowds. I love dressing creatively, dancing freely, exploring new music and relaxing with good friends having a picnic with a cold beer and taking in the grooves and energy of all the people enjoying themselves with a big smile. It’s a fun chance to be creative, expressive and free to be a truly unique person in a sea of others. How great is that?

I’ve put together unique outfit inspiration for your viewing and idea brewing delight. All items are $35.00 and below from Etsy and are all recycled or handmade and support small businesses! Hope you enjoy. If you have any questions, comments or feedback please share! All items were and may still be for sale on Etsy. If you are interested in a purchasing an item or 10 please email me and I will let you know if it has already been sold or send you the link to the item in the Etsy shop. If it has already been sold I can send you other suggestions or search tips.

Etsy is a seemingly endless source of recycled and handmade fashion. There is a great chance you’ll find your perfect festival outfit – Happy treasure hunting!

*Click to see full size*

Leather and Lace