Thrifting Haul

I made some really good finds today at the thrift store in my town, check it:

I've been looking for a white collared shirt to dip-dye navy blue for a long time. Most of what I find seems too Kohls-circa-2005 for my liking, but this one is pretty decent. It's more of a western style, which I'm ok with. It's also too big so I have to take it in... but I'm reunited with my sewing machine at the moment so it won't be a problem. Looooove!

This is one of those pieces that I would consider "vintage." It's that nice flowey material that will be good for spring and it has a sash that goes around the collar for tying into a bow or simple knot, which is very "trendy" at the moment. It also had shoulder pads, which I took out.

Ooooo yeah, this one is my crown jewel of the day. Sweetheart neckline tube top romper onesie. Hellz yeah. It originally had an ugly strap that wrapped around the neck and buttoned onto the horn button (which I left on for the moment... I'll probably take it off in about 5 minutes). I cut the strap off immediately and sewed it over to the inside. If you remember from my last thrift post, I picked up a sheer short sleeved dress, but wasn't really sure what I would wear under it... THIS will be perfect.

Going home is so good for my soul; Northern Illinois has my heart forever. It's 70 degrees today, I baked cookies, modpodged a clutch (DIY to come later), grilled some Vienna hot dogs for lunch, got shamrock shakes with my brother... just general stuff I always do when I'm home. I'd take that over sitting around in gloomy Syracuse any day :]

If You Don't Know By Now, I'm Talkin 'Bout Chi Town

Forgive me as I diverge from my usual fashion-y posts. But I'm going home today!!!! (so here are some Amy In Chicago pictures)

Honestly, I live closer to Wisconsin than I live to the city. I've had this split personality my entire life. I love the city because it's close enough for me to get to, it's BIG but not too big, there are always things to do there, etc. But half of my family lives out in farmland Wisconsin so I also feel completely at home listening to country music in the woods in our campsite nook that my Dad built into a hill and staring up at the thousands of stars you can only see in the backwoods where there aren't any lights.

I'm at Syracuse University for my master's program and haven't left since the end of August. For me that's the longest and probably farthest away from home I've ever been. My family doesn't travel often. Every time I'm on vacation, I'll enjoy it for a few days... and then I just want to be back in my own bed in the flat Midwest. I'm really homegrown at heart.

So I'll be on the overnight train back to Chi-City tonight. When I flew home midway through August, I nearly cried when I began to see the skyscrapers popping up on the other side of Lake Michigan.

I had never really considered Chicago my “home” until I left it... It was just always there and I didn't think about it much. Just a little bit away if I ever needed it. It's where my Dad's printing company on the South Side was with its terrifying wall-less freight elevator. It's where I used to look at the Marshall Field's window displays during Christmas (Macy's? WTF is that? Chicagoans call it Field's forever). It's the massive Sears Tower that I can see from Rand Rd by my house on a sunny, clear day (also, EFF the “Willis Tower.” Stop changing our landmarks. CoughComiskeycough coughRosemontHorizoncough)

It's home. And I want it to be home forever.

*pictures taken at the Chicago Cultural Center

cardigan- Urban Outfitters

dress- thrifted

tights- GAP

riding boots- OnCourse, Saddler's Row

necklace- gift