Crop top & Vintage Jeans

Rounding out this casual end-of-week here at November Grey, I thought I'd post a pic or two of my other favorite top. (I've had this for years. It's one of my first thrifted pieces that I cut to make my own.)

For more pix of this look, and a tutorial on how to make one of your own. Head on over to Secondhand Star! 


You can also see how I wore this top with a red vintage skirt here!

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Dressed way down... & a favorite tee

Is it too early to pull out my favorite Ghostbuster's tee? Is it too early to be dreaming of all things end-of-year, holiday goodness? Sometimes I just can't help myself. And while I'm enjoying this sunshiny bright, Cali summer weather... I can't help but look forward to the oncoming months - my most favorite time of the year.

PS - Apparently, it's not just me on this wavelength! I stopped into Bath & Body works yesterday to pick my monkey up a rubber ducky... (They have really durable ducks in very fun colors. She chose a hot-pink light up, to accompany her blue & green polka dot "daddy" duck.) And they were already displaying Halloween items! See Spook-tacular stuff here, and adorable duckies here!


PPS - They sell my all-time favorite lip balm/gloss that I posted about last winter here. It's amazing. Purchase it here!

Ghostbuster's tee - Vintage

Checkered shirt - Forever21

Jeans - Genetic

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Random Bits...

I absolutely love our hood for impromptu shoot sessions.

 My legs have never looked so long.

This is what grows in our alley.

Can't complain about much, when every day looks a little bit like this: 

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Leap

Well, guys... several decisions are being made this week. I feel like a lot of the time, I just leap and learn how to fly on the way down. It's been this way for as long as I can remember. I hope these little dreams of mine can sprout wings and take flight... until then, at least I know I have a soft place to fall. 

Vest - Redesign from a Vintage Suit

{Check out SecondhandStar.com! for entire look and How To!}

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Sunday Finds - Monday Morning - Blu on Blu $1 hue!

I found this blouse last week at Out of the Closet for a buck. (See post here!) I thought I might tuck it into one of my favorite silhouettes - the ever classic pencil skirt, but the more I played around with it, the long and loose fabric begged to be belted over something slim.

 I couldn't resist going blue on blue with jeans, purse and belt.

A couple pops of red and a statement necklace... (Recognize this thrift score from the same day?) and I was good to go.

I've been lusting after delicate and pointy heels  - so when I found these F21 babies on clearance a few months back (if memory serves me right... around $7?) I was happy. (But still sad about these!)

An entire outfit for around 25 bucks. (The jeans were via resale at Crossroads Trading CO.)

 And now I'm off to sort through my latest finds!

Yesterday's scores: 

Hot Pink Sheath ~ $4.00! How exciting that brights are going to be transitioning into Fall! This gorgeous hot pink sheath is going to be perfection, once I have it hemmed a tad, and belt it the waist. (Bonus! ~ the darling little button that looks like a broach.)

Bright Blue Blazer ~ $1.00! It seems that this vibrant blue hue is my lucky color lately, because I scored this vintage (Sasson!) bright blue blazer on the $1 rack. It's a tad too big, so I'm going to have my ever talented partner at Secondhand Star take it in at the sides, but leave the length. I'll just cuff the sleeves! 

Braided Rope Sweater ~ $3.00! I was super thrilled to find this chunky knit. It's everything I've been wanting! I'll pair it with denim shorts or throw it over my summer dresses in the oncoming cooler nights, and pair it with flared vintage jeans this winter.

Belt ~ $2.00! And finally this super cute pale pink neutral belt with the coolest threading detail. Bonus! ~ It can be worn at my waist or hips!

Have an awesome week, guys. I'd love to hear about your fashion scores! xx

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Winner! Jouer Makeup Kit!

Congratulations...

Shannan from...

You're the winner of the makeup giveaway from Jouer Cosmetics!!

Thank you so very much to all who entered and took the time to fill out the survey for November Grey and Secondhand Star on Vintage and Thrifted Re-Designed Fashion. You all gave excellent and extremely useful feedback and we're so grateful. Merci!

Be sure to visit Shannon's blog here, and check back in soon for another fab giveaway!

{Photo kindly sourced from AbsolutelyLadylike.com}

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Skinny Trick: Vegan Banana Oat Muffins

Last month I housed one of my favorite friends making the move from AZ back to Cali and on the hunt for the most perfect apartment. In the process, (and because she's a serious vegan) I began my hunt for the most perfect vegan dishes. I came up with some rather yummy & healthy recipes in the process. (See coconut curry recipe here!) 

And even though I'm not one of the "V Elite" I do believe that limiting dairy & meat is one of the best skinny tricks there is.

I mixed a few different recipes to come up with something that was both Weight Watchers and Vegan friendly. They turned out like tasty, healthy breakfast muffins, perfect with a cup of joe and a side of fruit with your morning mag.

Ingredients: 

3-4 ripe bananas
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 agave syrup (you can also use maple syrup or brown sugar)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp nutmeg
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup oats (or 1/2 cup oats, 1/2 cup flax seeds. I happened to use 3/4 cup oats and two instant oatmeal packets that had flax seeds in it. Random! And perfect!)
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (white will work, but wheat is better!)

Mix all ingredients in a mixer and pour into paper lined muffin tins. Bake at 350 for about 20 min. Test with a toothpick. Enjoy!

For Sara xx

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Summer Pink

Some days I just wake up wanting to be feminine. And what's more feminine than pink?

I was trying to achieve something pulled together for work, but still summery and feminine at the same time. And definitely something that wouldn't leave me scorching in this warm west-coast weather!

I set my hair in rollers (tutorial here!) - that was a bit painful as we don't have AC, but worth the heat to create sleek waves (just brush them through with shine serum) into a polished pony. 

I doubled up a statement necklace from H&M, wrapped a favorite woven vintage belt around my waist, grabbed a thrifted quilted number and I was off!

P.S. How gorge is this Maison de Vacances Love pillow sitting atop a perfect vintage chair?

Have a beautiful day!

Shirt - Vintage Silk

Skirt - F21 via thrift

Belt - Vintage

Shoes - F21

Necklace - H&M

Bangle - Vintage

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Calypso St Barth + Designer Sean Knibb = Fab night!

What a whirlwind it's been these past two weeks! So much fun and fabulousness to share with you guys. And the recent Calypso event with furniture designer Sean Knibb was no exception!

Leah Dempsey-Makeup & Hair Stylist, Shiri Gornicki-Chaz Dean Hair Stylist, Noa Bolozky-Secondhand Star, Tanya Dempsey, Sara Jones

For those of you who made it out and could actually see his stunning designs in person, I'm betting you left there with major outdoor decorating plans. 

I still cannot get over all the sleek and colorful stripes. And outdoor square lounge poufs? Sign me up! 

Some fabulous friends stopped by to support and shop, including the iconic Molly Ringwald pictured here with Sean Knibb himself. (Did you catch the event I hosted with Molly here?)

The party was a hit thanks to tunes spinning from our favorite local DJ, champagne flowing by Veuve Clicquot, savory sake by Rock Sake, and these to-die-for cookies (decorated in Sean's famous stripes!) by Modern Bite. 

The Calyspo Design Team taking a moment to welcome the guests and enjoy the evening.

And me taking a moment to thank my sister (and personal hair dresser) for all that she does!

I'm wearing The Kimberly Dress in 100% Dupioni silk by Calypso

 Order here! & enter code SUMMER30 at checkout for an additional 30% off!


All photography (except #3) by Aaron Fuller

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Sunday Finds - Monday Morning - $1 Jeans!

I'll let you in on a little secret... I have a thrifting addiction. Oh, you already knew that? Well, let's get specific here, my addiction has turned ritualistic by way of heading to my favorite thrift store every Sunday morning, where a whole slew of goodies gets marked down to $1 price tags.

Call me economical, but you can't by much for $1.00 these days. So I'm one of those crazy ladies standing outside the door, waiting for the clock to tick 10AM. I simply cannot smile big enough when I grab a score like this. 

On occasion it's simply a rad pair of jeans like these vintage inspired numbers I grabbed last week. (I'm not kidding, they were $1! And seeing as though a recent obsession of mine is the Drama Wide Leg by Mother Demin, just north of a $300 price tag, I'd say I did pretty well!)

I absolutely LOVE scoring a major design piece that my partner & I can reconstruct at Secondhand Star, (see latest here & here) but sometimes it's a just a great staple that some gracious girl decided to gift me by way of donation. (Thank you girl who gave up these jeans! Truth be told, I cannot gain an OUNCE if I want to continue wearing these, but maybe that's a good thing.)

Anyway, I'll be sharing what I find every Sunday, every Monday morning! (Now get your own butt to your local thrift store!)

And now for the goods I found yesterday... Two awesome necklaces:

I usually don't allow myself to go near anything over $1. On occasion I stray. This silver circle chain beauty had me out $2 bucks & I was thrilled because I've been on the hunt for major statement necklaces lately.

This wrap tassel chain was found at a yard sale on my drive back from the thrift store (see? addiction!) I love it. It can be tripled up, hung long & low, layered with other pieces, or worn as a belt - a buck!

These two blouses were each marked down to $1. The white linen is a Max Studio stunner in mint condition & will transition perfectly from Summer to Fall...

The gorgeous royal blue vintage blouse has me imagining fitted pencil skirts and secretary glasses for my next interview/event hosting gig... So while these babies get cleaned up at the dry cleaner, I'll try to curb my addiction til next week. 

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Interview w/ Angus Mitchell! & Red Cross Relief for Joplin

I was given the unique opportunity to interview some serious hair royalty this past weekend. And what's better than picking the brain of a man who was born and bred to just know good hair? Being a part of something truly important in the process.

The Angus Mitchell Salon in Beverly Hills hosted a ‘Tornado Relief Cut-A-Thon’ where all proceeds from every hair cut, all day long, went to The American Red Cross' relief efforts for Joplin, Missouri and the recent tornadoes that devastated so many.

I was so honored to be there. Sometimes we forget to take a look around us, and realize just how lucky we are.  And as much as Fashion, Beauty, and Art are at the core of what inspires me... (Dress I'm wearing? 1960's Vintage Redesign. Belt? A $3 beaut I grabbed on the way to the event!) I'm most fulfilled when I'm a part of something that makes a difference.

And a difference, indeed, is what Angus Mitchell is all about. The fundraiser itself was taking place because an employee at his salon informed him that his family's home was destroyed this past May by the deadliest tornado in American History.

So off to work he went! Leave it to Angus to make this an opportunity to change lives. I can't say enough good things about this man and this organization.

And how cool was it that Angus and the gang let me peek in on all of the fun?

It was a massive success and so much fun and I was at once inspired and reassured by the goodness in others and using your God-given talents for the greater good.

The salon is sleek and fun and fabulously stylish, just like the First Lady of Angus Mitchell hair.

I couldn't get over how absolutely smitten Angus was by his wife. (Well, she's a stunner, truth be told.) And when he was presented with a Proclamation from the City of Beverly Hills for charitable work, he couldn't hold tightly enough to his biggest supporter.

 And now.... a little Q & A from Mr. Mitchell himself...

Five Fast Facts about Angus Mitchell: 

1. He's the only son of the late Paul Mitchell and co owner of Paul Mitchell Systems.
2. As a kid he would hang out in his father's salon and used to race radio controlled cars between the chairs of some of Hollywood's elite, while the stylists tried to shoo him away. 
3. Like his father, who used to educate haircutters all over the world (with baby Angus in tow!) Angus hosts international seminars that inspire creativity through multi-media projects including photography, music, hair and fashion.
   
4. He initially moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in acting. 
5. He holds residency in Hawaii, California and New York. 

TD You are a true believer in not taking yourself too seriously, being quoted as saying "It's only hair!" ~ do you think that translates into what makes a beautiful hair cut and style? 
Mitchell No its quite the contrary. I believe the aloofness that "It is only hair" removes the uncertainty of when someone doesn't like their look. But through my meticulous mind as a hairdresser and educator, understanding hair texture and bone structure is only part of making a beautiful cut and style.  I also gain an understanding of the client's energy and personality before applying a look.  This is what I train the stylists at the Angus Mitchell Salon, and it is a true testament to professionalism. I value building confidence in my staff and team members in teaching them what I know: learn who the client is, what their lifestyle is, and what they are looking for. Is it relevant to them and their lives? We are always here to please our clients and create a look that is unique to the individual.


TD Do you have any embarrassing hair moments? (C'mon, you must! You're hair royalty, but we all have at least one!)

Mitchell When my wife made me get a Brazilian.

TD Do you think it's true that women over 30 shouldn't have hair past their shoulders?
Mitchell I strongly believe in individuality and that is what makes a person sexy. So no, I do not thing there is any set way as to how your hair should look at any age.  It is what best builds your confidence and makes you feel sexy and beautiful.  Nothing makes me feel more self satisfied in making a woman feel confidant and fulfilled with who they are by adding my signature with whatever style I create that makes it my own and unique.

TD What is your absolute favorite haircut or style on a woman?
Mitchell One that make them smile. If it doesn't make their feet come off the ground, I have not done my job.

TD Celebrity hair crush of the moment?
Mitchell My wife is a celebrity in my mind. My mom told me the secret to a successful marriage is not to cut your wife's hair. She wanted to chop 12 inches of her her hair off so I cut the ponytale that was donated to Locks of Love,  but then I insisted  and I allowed my art director at the Angus Mitchell salon, Julian Perlingiero, to finish the look.  He transformed her into a recognizable Victoria Beckham/Posh Spice so  I quickly asked him to make me look like David Beckham. Its often that we get stopped in the streets with people asking for autographs. Only kidding!

To learn more about how to help the victims of Joplin and other natural
disasters, please contact a local American Red Cross or visit www.RedCross.org.

For full story (& more pix!) on my vintage redesigned dress, visit Secondhand Star.com

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