Friday, March 18, 2016

Casual Clothes & thredUP Thoughts

My child decided to take a nap in her crib and not on me (shocking), so I decided to write because I miss this place littered with tumbleweeds. It feels glorious to have a child who can nap comfortably in her own space, and I can use the restroom when nature calls. What a happy Friday it is.

I recently received an order I placed on thredUP, an online consignment shop everyone seems to know about now. Since I left the classroom this year to be with Enza full time, I realized my warm weather wardrobe consists of 98% teacher clothes, which do not all translate into "I need something casual for hanging out with my kid, nursing a small child, and running errands." I decided to take a little stroll through thredUP, and I found some winners.

Fun fact: If your package comes with a little booklet, you might see my face inside of it because there was a time when my mom took quality pictures of my outfits instead of my subjecting you to mirror selfies with my tiny tot. When grad school ends in July, maybe I will have time for these ventures again. Who knows where the wind will blow these tumbleweeds and me?

If you do not know about thredUP, feel free to use my referral link, which admittedly gives me some kickback. Based on my referral link dates, I have been using thredUp for at least three years now. They sure have come a long way. 

Here are a few tips before I show you what came in my polka dot box:

1. Never place an order without a promo code.

2. Download the app to have promo codes sent to your phone (and to shop from your phone). For some reason, the promo codes pop up on my phone screen and then disappear, so make sure you write it down or trap it in your memory bank if your brain has not turned to Swiss cheese like mine has.

3. Check their Facebook page and Instagram accounts for periodic giveaways and promo codes.

4. If a promo code does not show up on your phone and you do not want to lose the items in your cart forever, then message them on Facebook for a promo code. Sometimes, you get lucky and they respond quickly enough for you to use it before the items in your cart disappear.

5. The items stay in your cart for maybe 24 hours or less. Sometimes, I take screenshots of the items, and go hunt for them again once they fall out of my cart. Hey, once the item is gone, it's gone. It's not like they have 50 more in the stockroom. Snatch it up while you can!

6. Go with brands you know your size in if you're concerned about fit.

7. If you send in a cleanout bag full of Target and Old Navy finds, be prepared to be disappointed in how much money you earn. They don't resell for a lot, which is why you don't get paid much for them. I am too lazy to sell my items on Instagram or Poshmark, so I take what I can get from thredUP.

I have many more suggestions, but I will leave it at that. I previously wrote a blog post about thredUP here if you want to read it, too.


I don't know this shirt's brand, but this might have been my favorite top out of the bunch. Am I the only one who cannot stop collecting white shirts? As a mom, I should realize this collection is a stupid one to have. Mysterious stains abound in this house. Of course, they abounded long before I had a child if you want full disclosure.  That's why they invented stain removers.

This tunic is actually a tunic. It genuinely covers my butt, which I feel as if half the "tunics" I buy do not do. How misleading. My mom's first response was, "pom poms?" I say, "WHY NOT, MOM?" Pom poms make me feel cheery. Pun intended. 
Anyway, the tunic is actually a size 4 from Asos, and it's a petite, which I did not realize when I bought it. Luckily, it still fits just fine. 

When this came with tags, and I realized it was from Francesca's, I thought, "of COURSE." I am smitten by almost everything in Francesca's, and this top is no exception. It will also go with my new Ann Taylor Loft rust-colored pants from thredUP.  

This top is a size small from Ann Taylor Loft. It's black lace in case my shoddy mirror selfie has you confused. I plan to return this one because it's just too short for my liking. 

I had been on the hunt for a white lace shirt. This Forever21 one was like $4.99. I wear tanks under most of my shirts now because of breastfeeding, and I can wear one with this shirt no problem. Initially, I thought it was too short. I tried it on a second time and realized it's actually a nice length. Plus, the sleeves actually fit my monkey arms. A miracle. Clearly, Enza approves of this look. Or her zebra toy that looks like a cow. 

I will have to wear a tank under this top because it gapes a bit at the pits, but it has buttons up the back, which made it impossible for me to return. What is it about dresses with pockets and shirts with buttons on the back that have me all heart eyes and salivating?
This top is from Gap, less than $10,  a size small, and the dreamiest color.

Don't mind my child eating my leg.  When I put this top in my cart, I did not realize I would love it as much as I do, and it cost maybe $5. It's Forever21, size small. I thought the design was black, but it's actually navy blue.

Yeah, Enza might be blowing spit bubbles over it, but I love the shorts, which are BDG, size 25. When I was hunting through my shorts collection the other day for a pair of black ones, I came to the startling conclusion that, amidst all of my patterned shorts, I had zero pairs of black ones. Closet hole filled. Boom. 


I hope you enjoyed my little virtual shopping trip. Also, my jeans in this post are mid-rise Rockstar skinnies from Old Navy, and my shoes are several years old from ModCloth. Note: thredUP did not pay me for any of my comments. I just like the service that they offer and thought I would share.


Thursday, March 17, 2016

PinkBlush Giveaway

 I know. Long time no blog. Well, at least a giveaway accompanies my first reappearance in awhile? And, boy, is it a good one. Random people and companies contact me to promote them, but I usually ignore them because poor grammar or ambiguous directions are turn offs. Go figure.

Anyway, you have an opportunity to hop over to my instagram and participate in a chance to win a $50 gift card to PinkBlush. Participating is really easy. Go over and find the giveaway post today to find out how you can win. Before you go, I will tell you a bit about why I like PinkBlush.

PinkBlush offers a maternity line (lots of options and especially great if you are looking for a dress to wear for your shower!) as well as a non-maternity line. A lot of their maternity clothes work postpartum, and a lot of their non-maternity items work during pregnancy. They offer free shipping, no minimum required, which makes me love them even more. Shipping is the bane of every online shipper's existence, right?

Here are some items I like from their site:

Want nursing tops? Check out their nursing section in the maternity line. I have this one and love it. It makes me feel comfortable and sexy. Who knew those two words could canoodle in the same sentence?

This dress would be great for July 4th. Is it sad that I am thinking about July already?

This pink diaper bag is dreamy.

This floral dress gives me heart palpitations.

I really want this necklace.

If you're pregnant, this dress is lovely.

Find my tunic here in non-maternity and here in maternity. (Mine is obviously not maternity, but I think it would serve me well in pregnancy. Also, I tried it out yesterday with nursing, and I can nurse in it! Vincenza really loved the little button on it. She kept playing with it while she ate.)


PinkBlush gave this tunic to me in exchange for this giveaway, but I already owned five shirts and two dresses from them before they contacted me. I think it's safe to say that I would recommend them either way.