avatar by on June 27, 2012   •   24 Comments Fashion

Simple ways to look modern when wearing vintage

Written by contributor Megan Tietz of SortaCrunchy

This time a year ago, I would never have given wearing vintage clothes a second thought.

I had long been stuck in a t-shirt and jeans rut and I knew I wanted a change, but nothing about knowing how to style an outfit comes naturally to me. Thankfully, this was around the time Pinterest began to fill our lives with so much inspiration (and envy!) that overhauling my wardrobe suddenly became much more accessible – even to a non-fashionista like me.

I soon discovered the world of collecting and wearing vintage clothing, and I immediately loved everything about it! In the same way that I love older homes, I love clothes from decades gone by because they offer a sense of character, history, and style that is hard to find on the racks at the mall. However, it soon became obvious that unless I wanted to look like I had walked off the set of That 70s Show, I was going to have to step up my styling!

Today, I want to share some tips I’ve picked up along the way. I’m aware that some readers of Simple Design are far more qualified than I am to speak to this, so consider this a beginner’s guide – from one beginner to another.

1. Collect Inspiration

For some people, styling clothing of any era is a natural-born talent. I am not one of those people, so I rely heavily on inspiration from others to figure out what looks right and what does not.

If you are starting to dip your toes into the polyester pool of vintage clothing, it’s really helpful to collect visual inspiration. Pinterest, of course, can be great for this. Unfortunately, I’ve found that the Pinterest app on my phone is a little bit unreliable when I am out shopping, so I keep a couple of notes on Evernote filled only with pictures of people wearing vintage looks that resonate with me. I can pull those up far more easily on the Evernote app, and it’s incredibly helpful to have that visual reminder.

2. Mix One Vintage Piece with One Modern Piece

Wearing a vintage piece of clothing along with at least one modern piece is the ultimate easiest way to begin wearing vintage!

Veronika of Tick Tock Vintage does this incredibly well and the end result gives her a unique style that is fresh and modern, but at the same time, has an unmistakable vintage flair:

(source)

(source)

3. Incorporate On-Trend Accessories

Sometimes, particularly when wearing a vintage dress or other head-to-toe vintage look, all you need is one bold accessory to immediately update the look.

Here, Kendi of Kendi Everyday adds a wide belt from Anthropologie to a vintage dress:

(source)
[Read more...]

avatar by on June 6, 2012   •   52 Comments Friendship + Community You

7 simple ways to help a friend move

Written by contributor Megan Tietz of SortaCrunchy.

My friend Courtney smiled brightly and pushed open her screen door. My four-year-old daughter made her way to the toys, waiting to be played with in Courtney’s living room, while I said thank you! thank you so much! over and over again.

A few weeks ago, our family moved from our small town in western Oklahoma home to a new neighborhood in Oklahoma City. To save on moving costs, we decided (once again) to pack and move ourselves, and Courtney came to the rescue with her offer to keep my little one while I packed and planned.

We’re no strangers to the moving process; in fact, we are kind of old pros. By the time I turned eighteen, my family had moved eight times, and my husband and I have moved six times in the nearly fourteen years we’ve been married.

Throughout all of these moves, I’ve taken note of how people have provided support to our family as we navigated the always-stressful moments of moving. Since many families take advantage of school-free days of summer to make a big move, I thought I might share some of the ways we can provide the most help to friends who are moving – whether it’s across town or across the country.
[Read more...]

avatar by on April 16, 2012   •   Giveaways Personal Growth You

Spirit-Led Parenting: Overcoming the Fear of Freedom

This is written by contributor Megan Tietz of SortaCrunchy.

Freedom.

This powerful word evokes strong feelings in each of us. For some, it conjure flag-waving and patriotism. For others, it speaks to the purpose of a spiritual faith. In Western culture, freedom is honored, cherished, and pursued.

Who would be afraid of freedom?

As it turns out, we were.

My friend Laura and I were good girls who had grown up to become good women, women who were relied-upon, predictable, and responsible. We were women who were highly invested in doing things the right way. When we each discovered we were pregnant with our first children in the spring of 2004, we began to ask around, seeking answers from trusted friends and family members about how, exactly, does one care for a baby the right way.

We reached out for The Rules.

[Read more...]

avatar by on March 14, 2012   •   53 Comments Kids: Developing Character Your Family

Honoring the spirit of generosity in our children

Written by contributor Megan Tietz of SortaCrunchy.

Last month, I went to Nashville for the BlissDom blogging conference. I wanted to bring home something for each of my girls, a little treat from my trip.

The first day of the conference offered me the chance to shop the delightful wares at the Handmade Marketplace. I realized as I browsed the booths that I wanted to get my daughters something handmade, something that would hopefully hold more meaning than a tacky t-shirt.

I walked up and down the aisles, sighing more than once over the precious collections for little ones. Though of course I realize that my children are growing up, it definitely drove the point home when I realized that they were too big even for the sweet little handmade skirts I found at one booth.

Both of my daughters have been very into girly, feminine accessories lately, and when I spied the lacy fluffs at the Allora Handmade booth, I knew I had found the perfect treat for each of them. I picked light pink for my older daughter and the darker pink for the  younger one, bearing in mind that her favorite color is very specifically dark pink.

After my return, my girls had fun digging through all of the treasures I brought home with me. Predictably, they were slightly more interested in the free stuff from my swag bag (squeezable applesauce and a bag of chocolate mini eggs!) than they were in the gifts I had purchased just for them, but still they happily tucked their pretty new lacy fluffs into the bucket of accessories that sits on their dresser.

[Read more...]

avatar by on December 14, 2011   •   81 Comments Kids: Developing Character Your Family

When parenting means steering into the skid

I closed the door to our bedroom, tip-toed to the far side of the bed and sat down quietly on the floor. From the living room, I could hear my four-year-old daughter screeching at me to come help her with her computer game.

Here I was, the parent who so attentively responded to her cries when she was an infant, the mother who gently led her through the wilds of toddlerhood, the person who has written more than once on positive, proactive parenting—literally hiding from my preschooler and her constant crankiness.

It was not my finest moment.
[Read more...]