Thrifty Thursday: Getting Ready for Vacation!

Posted in Thrifty Thursdays by definingdanie

I cannot believe I have not done a Thrifty Thursday in over two months! To be honest, I had to take a break because at school my closet was overflowing with the awesome deals I was finding! This week I decided I would head over to my favorite consignment store, Oh My Darling in Annapolis, Md. to see what deals they had going on.

They recently posted on Instagram a photo of a few pairs of pineapple earrings and I knew that I had to have these for the summer!

Amy, the owner of Oh My Darling also posted today about a sale she had today if you mentioned you saw it on her Instagram.

Even though I originally went to the store for just the earrings, I knew I would not only be leaving with just one thing… I also found the perfect dress for a trip I have coming up this weekend to the Bahamas!

The dress is made by Just Be… I tried to find how much the dress was sold for originally, but I was unable to find it. I can tell the dress is made with a quality cotton though, so I am guessing it was definitely sold for more than I bought it. I purchased this dress for $16!

The lightweight cotton will be perfect for the hot weather in the Bahamas!

Out of the two things I purchased today, I would definitely say the earrings would be my favorite. I am in love with the pineapples. I am currently obsessing over anything pineapple related!

I also love the earrings because they were made by a local jewelry designer! Here is her information if you are interested in purchasing this pair of earrings or looking to see if she sells something similar:

I left the store today only spending a total of $45!

For all of my Annapolis area readers, Oh My Darling is having their biggest shopping event yet that you will not want to miss! Coming up on June 20, they are hosting an event called The Longest Day, which is raising money for Alzheimer’s awareness.

Leading up to the event, they will be having their #30DaysofDresses fundraiser. For every dress sold from May 21-June 20, Oh My Darling will donate 10 percent of the sale to their Longest Day team. If you go into the store and try on a dress and use the hashtags #30DaysofDresses and #THELONGESTDAY, they will donate $1 to their team.

If this didn’t sound intriguing enough for you… on June 20 if you make a $5 or $10 donation to their team, you will receive an empty Oh My Darling shopping bag, which you can fill with anything you can fit into the bag and receive 10 percent or 20 percent off of the items in the bag!

For more information about the event you can contact Oh My Darling’s owner, Amy Darling at amy@shopohmydarling.com!

It felt so great to thrift again! I am glad that I broke my thrifting drought at Oh My Darling!

XODanieSparkle

8Oct2015

Thrifty Thursday Fall Fashion!

Posted in Thrifty Thursdays by definingdanie

Fall is more than football games, pumpkin spice lattes and leaves changing. Although I love all three of those things, just like most, my favorite thing about fall is the fashion. I love vests, knee high boots and feeling a little chilly.

On Sunday, I went to Value Discount Outlet in Akron, Ohio and they were having the best deals! Just like Goodwill, Value Discount Outlet has various color tags attached to the clothing, which lets the store’s staff know when the clothing came into the store. …This also allows for fun things like having certain color tags be a certain price that day!

For example, this Sunday was any green-tagged item was only $1, yellow-tagged items were 50% off and I also received 20% off because I had my student ID! It was a really good thrifting day.

Lets see what I bought!

Right as I walked into Value Discount Outlet (VDO), this yellow vest popped out at me from the 1000s of racks of clothing! My absolute favorite color is yellow.

The vest had a small patch that was sewn on it, but I knew it wouldn’t be an issue to remove it with a seam ripper! This vest is honestly perfect for Kent State football games. I paired the vest with one of my favorite Kent State shirts!

I then found this gorgeous pink shirt! This shirt can totally be work with jeans, as pictured or I can definitely wear this to my sorority’s chapter meetings, where we have to dress up. I love to thrift things that can work in my wardrobe for many occasions.

I was a little worried that this shirt was a little too much of a summer color, but then I just said “ehh, I’ll make up my own rules!” and bought it anyways. 🙂 This shirt only cost me $8, and it was brand new with tags on it! It was originally around $35!

This next outfit features two purchases! I bought both of these times for only $1!

The dress shirt was being sold because it had a small stain on it, but I washed it as soon as I got home and it came right out! I pared it with this sweater that has leaves all over it. The sweater is a yellow-green!

I can definitely see this sweater becoming a staple in my wardrobe! I cannot wait to wear it with my black vest and pearls, which will make for a super fall outfit!

I love fall so much! I cannot wait for later October when it comes time for Halloween outfit shopping. Keep your eyes out for upcoming Halloween thrifting adventures! Happy fall!

P.S.: My amazing friend, Mara did an awesome job taking these photos for me this week! Thanks you so much!

5Oct2015

Introducing: Monday Mingles!

Posted in Lifestyle by definingdanie

Good afternoon & happy Monday!

I have decided to introduce a new weekly post on my blog called Monday Mingles! Each post will be different. I am so excited to mingle with you all! I think I want each to have a certain topic and then have anyone who would like to, comment with their thoughts!

This weekend I was a bridesmaid for the first time. It was exciting, emotional and exhausting!

I cannot believe that a year and a half ago I was asked to be one of my friend’s bridesmaids. I received an email with a heart-felt note that ended with “Will you be my Bridesmaid?” Without even thinking about it, I of course said: YES.

When I said yes, I did not think of anything that was going to come about when being a bridesmaid, such as, money and time. Now, I did not mind spending my time and money on my friend Taylor’s wedding but if you are asked to be a bridesmaid, THINK ABOUT IT before you say yes.

You have to think about the dress, hair, nails, dress for the rehearsal and bachelorette weekend, etc.

Weddings aren’t cheap, but they are extremely special. I was fortunate to have my parent’s help throughout the whole process, but that is because I am still young. I know the next wedding I will probably be in will not be for a few more years, so I will be more financially-able to pay for it on my own.

Does this mean I will not want to be in their wedding because I have to pay for it on my own?

No.

But, this does mean that I will be more cautious if I agree to be in their wedding.

Does this make me selfish for not wanting to spend my money for being in my friends wedding? I don’t think so. I think this means that I am being realistic. The bride will most likely already feel a little bad that you’re spending so much money on her wedding, so she will most likely understand if you decline being her bridesmaid (unless she is your BFF or your sister!!).

I want to know your thoughts/experiences on being a bridesmaid!

Here are some photos from the wedding this weekend (as soon as I have the photographer’s photos I will share them with you!):

Comment below with your thoughts and experiences with being in a wedding party!

24Sep2015

Thrifty Thursday: Summer to Fall Bag!

Posted in Thrifty Thursdays by definingdanie

So, Defining Danie reader’s, it’s been a while. I’ve missed you all! School has been more than hectic, which is why I haven’t blogged in what feels like a lifetime.

Look at this amazing purchase that I found. The bag was originally $45 and at Goodwill it was being sold for $17, and then I got the student discount and ended up getting the bag for $15!

This week’s Thrifty Thursday is based on a bag I found a few weeks ago that was originally from Target. Orange can go for either summer or fall, but adding this scarf definitely adds more a fall-feel. The bag was brand new and I bought it from Goodwill in Kent, Ohio. Goodwill and Target have a partnership where the Goodwill sells the clothing/accessories not sold during the time that they were being sold in Target so they have another chance to be sold again. The clothing/accessories are sold for a cheaper price than they would be sold in Target.

Although the oranges are not the same, the scarf and bag still complement one-another. The bag has more of a coral undertone and the scarf has a darker orange, magenta, yellow and various colors of taupe! I love the scarf, which I got for only $1.00!

Take a look inside this bag! It even has the perfect compartment for pencils and lipstick. 😉 And the polka dots are a lovely touch.

Incorporating thrifted items into your daily outfits is not hard at all! It was a coincidence that I was actually wearing was thrifted over the summer.

I hope everyone is having a lovely start to fall!

17Aug2015

Favorite Day of the Year!

Posted in Thrifty Thursdays by definingdanie

Yes, you read that correct It is National Thrift Store Day! To any of thrifting queens and kings out there, you understand my excitement. This day can beat any of the major holidays for me. I have never told anyone why I love thrifting so much so I am going to do my Top 5 Reasons Why I LOVE Thrifting and you can also check out my top favorite thrifting finds of the year below!

TOP 5:

1) The amazing deals that you can get. As all of you know, I am a college student and as a college student, I do not have a lot of money to spend on clothes! There are great clothes that people just giveaway…hoping that you will buy them! Go when they have 50% off certain color tags, meaning that it will be 50% off of the already low prices!

2) The hunt is FUN. This is something that I have mastered. A lot of people do not like the “hunting” part of thirsting, which is why Goodwill’s across the nation have created Goodwill Boutiques, which are also near and dear to my heart! But… I love it when I am searching around the store and I can’t seem find anything worth buying that day and then all of the sudden that one piece of clothing just POPS out to you! It is seriously magical.

3) I know when I shop at a thrift store, that I am doing good for the community. An example is by shopping at Goodwill, you are helping them succeed at their mission, which is to provide work for people who may not be able to find it somewhere else!

4) You never know what you will find. There are so many odd pieces that you will find in a thrift/consignment store! There will be things in there that you did not even know existed but that is what makes it so fun! I think you can also learn a lot about history. Walking into an older thrift/consignment store and it is like walking into the past! Go in and see what you can find/learn.

5) Great for DIY. Whether you want to revamp your house or you’re moving into a new apartment, there are great deals you can find on furniture, kitchen supplies (plates and even kitchen tables/chairs!) and bedroom furniture. There is nothing a little TLC and some paint cannot fix! I always see great dining room furniture that just makes me so excited to have my first apartment!

Top Thrifting Finds:

I would love to hear everyones reasons why YOU love thrifting! Also, I never noticed I always pose the same way in all of my photos, haha!

29Jul2015

Traveling made easy to NYC!

Posted in Lifestyle by definingdanie

So as many of you know that follow me on social media (if you don’t follow your girl @danieminor13!), this past weekend I went to Her Conference!

Traveling is one of my favorite hobbies; going to events is another favorite of mine. This past weekend, I took an Amtrak Train to NYC where the conference was being held. Amtrak allowed me to combine my two favorite things!

Her Conference is a conference put together by the staff at Her Campus. Her Campus is an online magazine for “collegiette” women! Along with being an online magazine, they also have a blogger network, which I’m apart of.

So, when they announced the dates for the conference, which is held in NYC, I immediately purchased a two-day ticket. At the time it didn’t matter to me how I got to NYC, where I was staying or if anyone I knew was also going to the conference that I knew;I knew I was going!

A month before the conference I had the place to stay, but still hadn’t locked down how I was getting to NYC… then Amtrak popped into the equation! Continue reading →

5Jun2015

Recap of My Trip to Dublin and London!

Posted in Lifestyle, Wanderlust by definingdanie

..I belong in Europe is all I can say. For two weeks I traveled all throughout Dublin and London. I was there with one of my classes that I took during the semester, Global Advertising and Public Realtions. While visiting, we not only visited the touristy sites, we worked with groups that we were paired with all semester.

My group, International Wit, worked to compare Continue reading →

27Mar2015

New season, new Me!

Posted in Beauty by definingdanie

I cannot believe how long it has been since I have posted a blog post. I missed you all!

I am nearing the end of my spring break. I had a fun start to my spring break! I went to Canada with my sister and best friend for the weekend, and then we drove back to Maryland for the remainder of the break. We went to Windsor, Ontario. It was absolutely adorable for a weekend.

Yesterday, I went to a new salon and had the best hair cut/color I have ever had! If you are in the Annapolis, Md. area, you must go to see Virginia at Possibilities Salon in Crofton, Md.

Before Hair:

After Hair:

I went BLONDE! I love it so much. I have always wanted to go this light with my hair, but I was too nervous. I can’t imagine having any other hair color now.

I bought this adorable cup at Target! Tell me it’s not adorable!

I missed you all!

25Feb2015

Event in Kent, Ohio!

Posted in Fashion, Thrifty Thursdays by definingdanie

Hi everyone! There is a really fun event coming up this Friday from 6-8! I am hosting this event along with a few friends!

The event is called “Thrift Night Out”! Remember that really adorable Goodwill boutique that I wrote about last week? Well, that’s where the event is!

Continue reading →

6Jan2015

April 19, 2015, A New Day in History

Posted in Fashion, Lifestyle by definingdanie

No, there isn’t an election, a wedding or my birthday. It is the day that Lilly Pulitzer is coming to Target!

You read that correctly, LILLY. PULITZER. IS. COMING. TO. TARGET. I am so excited! They are going to have a 250-piece collection featured in their 15 different patterns!

What I am wondering is, what are their prices going to be like?

Target, is known for being somewhat affordable, and Lilly Pulitzer, although I love it, is not. Will they have affordable prices, or is it still going to be $80 for the bag that I have been wanting for forever?!

But, look how cute the collection is going to be: