Wildwood Weekend

A few weekends ago I went to Wildwood for a Ultimate Frisbee tournament (well, my friend went for the tournament, I went to drink on the beach). Other than the obvious issue of 'oh shit, I haven't owned a legit bathing suit since I was twelve', I knew I wanted to pack light and live in the same outfit the entire weekend. I didn't want to look like I was trying too hard, but I wanted to look cute and stylish at the same time. My anchor chambray shirt from Old Navy, my Beatles inspired tank from Ross, and my super cheap shorts from Walmart came together as the perfectly comfortable combination. If it got too hot I tossed off the chambray, and the tank was long enough to work as a coverup when I wanted to swim. Admittedly, it wasn't the easiest outfit to pee in (especially since I was wearing a one-piece bathing suit underneath it all), but I needed an excuse to avoid the rather fresh Port-A-Potty, anyway.

I'm not a sucker for brand name labels, but when you're going to be shaking sand out of it for weeks to come, you don't want to be donning your $500 outfits anyway. Along with being super cheap, all of these pieces are super durable and actually look better with a bit of roughing up from the salt water and wind. The chambray was the most expensive piece, probably about $25, and the top from Ross was only $10 and so incredibly soft that I didn't even bother trying it on. I very rarely buy clothing from Walmart (actually, I think these pair of shorts were the first thing I ever bought), but it's almost impossible for me to buy shorts. I feel like they always accentuate in all the wrong places, but these were looser fitting (and so damn cheap) that they were a no-brainer summer must.

I got the belt while on a desperate search for accessories that would add some glitz to my plain black dress for New Year's Eve (GASP! Black and brown?! I know, I know, I was frazzled). I honestly can't remember if I got it from Old Navy or Target because my mind was all scrambled trying to accessorize, but I literally wear this belt with everything. It's a perfect neutral color with just a little bit of shine, and I love the braided structure.

And the most important accessory of the day was my $4 shades from Charlotte Russe! Again, I'm not good at owning nice, expensive things. But if there's the possibility that I'm going to drunkenly misplace them, have them swept away into the ocean on a particularly strong wave, shattered by a misguided frisbee, or carried off by a revengeful seagull--okay, okay, you get it. Cheap is the way to go.

Almost just as important was my shoe choice. If I know I'm going to be walking around a lot I usually grab something a little more supportive. But treading in wet sand is a job for sandals. I've had these babies since last summer and they've definitely got some wear to them, but they're still going strong. Have you started to see a pattern yet? When I like something, I REALLY like something, and wear it until it can't be worn no mo'. These are really comfortable and didn't budge while I was dragging a cooler full of beer, food, and ice from field to field. Alright, while I was trudging alongside the person who was dragging the cooler full of mostly beer. These probably cost about $25 from Target, and I'm sure they've got similar styles this summer.

What are your favorite summer clothes and accessories that you don't mind having beat up a little?

Blog Rebranding: Curvy & Cheap

I'm a lot of things, but when it comes to fashion and style I'm almost always cheap and curvy. Over the past year I've been losing weight, and it's almost been shocking to see the transformation because there wasn't really one day where I sat down and decided I was going to make this happen. Honestly, a lot of the weight loss had to do with the fact that I had graduated college. I was no longer spending every waking hour putting together my senior portfolio while still trying to be awake enough to sit through a history class at 8 in the morning. My food options were no longer just late night pizza and milkshakes. My free time could be spent working out (although, more realistically, it was spent applying to endless amounts of jobs). Craigslist and I spent some serious quality time together.

It was almost kinda easy. I just started making healthier choices. I switched to almond milk and reduced my carb intake by only buying whole grain or veggie pasta, by choosing flatbread that had 100 calories per serving. I was just making a conscious effort to choose lower calorie or reduced fat options whenever possible, and started doing a cardio work out once a week. I skip the subway ride (thank you Philly for making that choice an easy one) and take the 20 minute walk, or avoid the escalator and take the stairs.

It definitely wasn't quick though. As a teenager I was always struggling with my weight, and whenever I tried to make a change it was quick and effective but always temporary. This time it wasn't my goal to lose a certain amount of weight. It was to start a healthier lifestyle that I would stick to for the rest of my life. It was about gaining confidence in my body again and learning self respect. I'm still a sucker for the Wendy's value menu or a slice of greasy pizza every now and then. But it's something I've trained myself to acknowledge and recognize. To feel maybe just a little bit guilty about. But this change wasn't about denying and punishing myself so that I ended up binging. This wasn't about counting calories or developing an unhealthy mindset that was never going to last. It was about embracing the fact that I have control over my body and what I put into it. Most importantly: I was doing this for myself. I had suffered through my share of teasing and insults, but I was finally looking in the mirror and addressing my body not from all the hurtful things I'd had hurled at it by insensitive men, but from an inner desire to love it.

Of course, fashion has become a lot more enjoyable now that I've been losing weight. I still reach for a large and vary between a 10, 12, and sometimes 14 when picking clothing out, but it's never been about the size of what I'm putting on. It's about me feeling good in it, and about it being flattering. I had a friend tell me one time that I was really good at dressing for my figure. I know where fabric will cling to me and I know the kind of cuts and fits that will do absolutely nothing for me. I get a lot of compliments on my outfits and people are almost always shocked when I tell them where it's from: Forever 21, H&M, Target, etc etc. I'm used to having to really dig to find something that fits me right, and so where some girls might shy away from the overwhelming amount of choices at these stores, I know how to find the patterns and colors I like on pieces that are going to work on me.

So, cheap and curvy seemed like the right way to rebrand this blog. I'm still trying to shed some pounds, but I'm always going to have an ass and thighs. As my mom once said: I have child bearing hips. For somebody who doesn't necessarily want kids (and for someone who was probably only twelve when she was told this) that was a pretty frightening prospect. But I'm learning to love the curves while still treating my wallet nicely. If I was one of those girls that could throw on any piece of clothing and look amazing in it, I'd be broke. So in some ways I consider myself lucky ;)

Oh, and I have an Instagram now, so if anybody out there is still reading, follow me @casseybaker!