yin to the yang

wearing thrifted jacket & dress-goodwill, beanie-joyce strangeway, vintage boots-retrovintage123, sunnies-ebay, collar-fitchbace

it's funny how people misconstrue the meaning of being a feminist.  a feminist is a supporter of the equality of women.  that's it.  plain and simple.  it doesn't mean we hate men, are lesbians, are pro-choice, are hippies, aren't mothers, etc.  it's kind of sickening how many stereotypes are forced upon us as feminists.  and it's also funny that anybody thinks any detail of our lives may be a reason to take away our rights.  a grrl who likes sex DOESN'T deserve to be raped.  a mom DOESN'T need to conform to what society deems as "appropirate" clothing.  i really don't understand why anyone wouldn't want equality for women.  we aren't trying to step on men.  we are just trying not to get stepped on by society and individuals whether they are male or female.  lately i've been partial to calling myself a humanist.  just because i am a human before anything else and therefore feel that all humans should be entitled to the same rights.  to freedom.  regardless of gender.   it makes this more understandable to the simple minded.  who can deny that all humans should have the same rights?  i guess a lot of fucking people...

elephant hips

wearing dress/bag/belt-goodwill, sunnies-thrifted, demonia boots-ebay, rings-gift/ebay, collar-fitchbace etsy

i feel like i'm on drugs when i wear these sunnies

i love this dress

i prefer to mend things than replace them

i'm no longer a jeans grrl and i don't know when this happened but it did.  i just want to rip them off whenever i am wearing them... i have some really great leggings but i need more.  my favorite leggings are becoming sheer on the bum and this is indeed a very sad thing.  miracle eye has some really great leggings and i think i'll be placing an order very soon :D

i've decided that i need more crushed velvet, tie dye, metallics & embroidered stuff in my life... and that that will keep my mind off of being human for a bit... until i am at a four way stop and i realize that people are kind of lame.

night.

crank the tunes and eat soup

wearing tunic/bag-goodwill, aa pants cut into shorts/sunnies-ebay, shoes-etsy, socks-sockdreams, stud collar-fitchbace etsy, spacegrrl necklace-gift from sis, rings/bracelets-pamela love & thrifted

i'm on a pretty strict goodwill diet and that suits me just fine.  i love walking in and leaving with something i had no idea i wanted.  lil things that excite me.  some people fear change.  i can't help but change all the freak'n time.  probably why people fear me.  unexpected is home.

and when i don't have enough randomness things get dark in my mind... and then people fear me more.  such a damn vicious cycle i am in with humans.

fiesta bowl

went to the brewery artwalk on sunday.  saw some old friends, nursed a gin & tonic in the warm sun and did mucho people watching... good times.

like my sweater?  i've only shredded one arm so far... so many projects goin right now...

wearing slip-goodwill, sweater-secondhand trade crossroads, beanie-handmade by my momma(custom order here), jeffrey campbell litas, bag-thrift store in san diego, necklace-custom ax & apple, rayban wayfarer

brown rice, white northern beans, collard greens, tomatoes, orange bell pepper, red onion, vegan sour cream or regular sour cream, chili paste, olives & a sprinkle of quinoa for texture

i try to eat healthy, but sometimes i don't want to spend so much time in the kitchen.  so lately i've been making a pot of rice/quinoa and a pot of beans(any kind, i've been rotating) in the beginning of the week and keeping them in the fridge for quick, easy and yummy homemade meals.  i find the easiest way to do the beans is in a crock pot because after you get it started it doesn't need to be babysat and you don't need to soak them.  i use one small bag of beans, wash them and add water till it is a couple inches over the beans.  after an hour i add about a quarter/half an onion, a bunch of fresh garlic and sea salt (i love pink himilayan) to taste.  remember to add water as you go because it evaporates.  it only takes a couple of hours and lasts all week.  the rice and quinoa (i rotate between the two) takes about 20-30 minutes and is perfect with the beans.  it will also last all week.  make sure you cover it well so it doesn't dry out.  all you have to do is sauteed any veggies you like and throw it on top with condiments/toppings of your choice (olives, cilantro, peperoncinis, sour cream and hot sauce are my favorites).  you can also put all the same ingredients in a burrito to mix it up.  yum fiesta bowls!

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lil crocheting machine

been crocheting like mad.  this is one of my favorite hats so far... will be in my shop soon...  i know i keep saying that.  i guess soon means not today in bravegrrl land.

wearing vintage swiss army thermal diy by meee, bravegrrl beanie crocheted by meeee, elizabeth & james cardigan & ksubi jeans-goodwill!!, sunnies-ebay, necklaces-ladama & black pyramid

i recently started working with edge of urge as you can see in my sidebar :)

i only work with companies that i believe in... in terms of philosophy and product and eou is no exception.  here are items that are currently on my wish list

1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9

i am such a jeans and tee grrl and am dying to get my hands on some of their amazing denim!

they carry mens clothing,  have a cute home & gift section and carry so many amazing brands that i love like unif, cheap monday & insight.  and the owner and creative force jessie williams designs a line of exclusive handmade items, coolio ey?  so check 'em out if ya fancy

xo

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me not so new pantalones

i had to show off these jeans...  i've been dying stuff like crazy.  tie dye, dip dye and now stripe dye.  it's the best way to revamp without buying anything (well accept for the dye i guess).  i don't think i will ever get over cutting, shredding, ripping and dying stuff...  it's just too fun

these jeans started off like this and then this and now they are the underwater fantasy you see before you.  i feel like a hand painted george melies fantastical character... see....

by the way

i adore georges méliès

that rhymed hehe

wearing thrifted gap sweater-goodwill, vintage bag-thriftstore in san diego, sunnies-ebay, harley davidson boots-tunnelvision, socks-hue from momma, rings-pamela love gift/ebay/maya

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i'm losing a dang hour of sleep!

how awesome is this jacket?  it's reversible.  yes.  i know.  i just adore thrifting.  i actually hit quite the jackpot the last few goodwill visits.  since i've last blogged i've scored a pair of black ksubi jeans & theory trousers (santa monica goodwill), this jacket & the fairy tale world of arthur rackham (pasadena goodwill) and these bum equipment overalls (glendale goodwill).  i think i have a goodwill problem haha...

so shopping edition...

after scoring this jacket i decided to do a post on shopping... but alas madeline beat me to it so i will just expound a little.  here is my shopping breakdown:

85% secondhand

this includes thrifting, online vintage shopping, trading and high end used ebay goods

10% new

mainly socks, tights, bras/undies, the occasional shoe splurge and the occasional luxury item (this is mainly a birthday thing haha)

5% handmade/small business

mainly etsy and small homegrown (online) boutiques

my shopping philosophy is very similar to madeline's... i really recommend reading her post on it here.  i'm using her post as a point of reference because 1/i am too lazy at the moment 2/i agree with her wholeheartedly and 3/i couldn't have said it better myself.  but i do have a few other things to add...

sell things that you aren't using.  one grrl's trash is another grrl's treasure :)  i am kinda ocd... so i clean out my closet A LOT.  living in a small apartment kinda helps me keep this a ritual and i highly recommend it to all you bloggers/fashionistas.  being a thrift junky (or shopping junky for that matter) really keeps a closet nice and full and often enough we have things we don't really wear.  i take my vintage pieces to squaresville/wasteland/buffalo exchange and the more contemporary pieces and name brands to crossroads/buffalo exchange to sell/trade.  you will often find something that fits into your current aesthetic.  and the best part is it's affordable if you are trading and it's secondhand so you aren't contributing to the demand for creating more things for people to buy.

i also really recommend buying high end and designer items on ebay.  there is always someone selling things that they barely wore.  that is where i get a lot of my shoes and sometimes you can even get a deal.

buy handmade, local and from small businesses.  it is just all around a great experience... you get unique things made with love and passion AND you are supporting the artist lifestyle.  supply and demand... an artist can only survive on their art if there is a demand for it.  i find it easier to swallow spending a chunk of change on an amazing unif piece than shopping at f21.  i would love to buy more handmade items... if i could buy 95% secondhand, handmade and small business i would be veryvery happy :)

and lastly donate.  because it's time to stop abusing our planet and because there are people who shop at thrift stores because they can't afford to shop anywhere else.

xo

ps... all those trade/sell shops i mentioned above are in l.a.  i think you can google or yelp places in your area  pretty easily though :)

wearing vintage jacket, diyed bum equipment overalls & tee-goodwill, aa thigh highs, harley davidson boots-tunnel vision, sunnies-etsy

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back in the day when things were cool

basically how i used to dress in high school with a few changes.  remove hat add hair clips to middle parted hair, change bag for jansport patch covered backpack and take the platform off the docs :)  

some things just never change.  i guess what works, just works.

xo

bomber jacket-american vintage, dress-goodwill, vintage bag-thriftstore in san diego, platform docs-ebay, ray & bone floppy brim fedora

i'm listening to primus right now... damn it's been a long time...

so i found this jacket at salvation army for $5. yup you heard me. well, it was actually $5.99. i kinda love how easy it is. i've been wearing it like crazy. best part is it's the perfect way to wear all my pins... i collect pins you see... since i was like 14.... so i have A LOT. i haven't bought any in a while. hmmm.. i think i'm gonna have to fix that.

i have a real love/indifference to fashion... i know strange... i do have a quasi fashion/personal style blog right??? anyhow... i love fashion in the way that i love dressing up in my favorite stuff to take a walk or jump on the bed.... but sometimes i think the industry in general emphasizes the wrong aspects. i mean it's art and it's the best way to express who you are on a daily basis since you do have to wear clothing... unless you live in a nudist community :D but anyhow... my love for fashion and clothing came about in a really strange way... my mom left when i was a wee lil thang and left a lot of her clothes... i used to parade around the house in her dresses and heels... and nightgowns and long strands of fake pearls (it was the 80s). burying my muzzle in her stuff and smelling her as i cuddled in my strawberry shortcake quilt. i was a happy girl and keeping her with me in any way kept me that way. i still dress up like i'm a lil grrrl and wear what makes me happy. it's about that for me... feeling good... just like it was when i used to layer my mommys goodies...

that is basically how i got my name/blog title... i found ways to stay brave back then... and part of it was wearing what made me happy and made me me. the grrl part came from riot grrrl which was my saving grace in my high school years. so there you have it.

be brave! be you!

and don't be judgmental of all the other grrrls wandering around the planet being brave enough to be themselves. cuz well that just sucks.

ok enough

love

bravegrrl

h&m super short dress/long shirt-bday gift from da sis, ck jacket-salvation army, pins(X, bratmobile & riot grrrl)-old, jeffrey campbell gene boots-ebay, sunnies-ebay