top ten outfits under $35, part XVI.

Here we are with another installation of the cheap outfit saga!

Almost everything you see here will have some element from Poshmark or thredUP. After reading a bit about the horrific effects of the fast fashion industry and the insane amounts of clothes unleashed on Goodwill (that often just get thrown away), I started rethinking my clothing purchases. I am now focusing on purchasing either secondhand or from small businesses - or, in the best case scenarios, both! Poshmark and thredUP are my new best friends in this endeavor, so you'll be seeing those names quite a bit as we go.

If you'd like to check out the previous cheap outfit posts, here they are - going back all the way to 2012! 

$40 or less
$30 or less
under $35, part I
under $35, part II
under $35, part III
under $35, part IV
under $35, part V
under $35, part VI 
under $35, part VII
under $35, part VIII
under $35, part IX

under $35, part X  
under $35, part XI 

under $35, part XII 
under $35, part XIII
under $35, part XIV

under $35, part XV 

dress – Poshmark – $35

shoes – DSW – FREE! (buy one pair of sandals, get another free)

cat necklace – gift from Mom and Dad

TOTAL: $35

This dress is the first thing I ever purchased on Poshmark. It is a symbol of a long and beautiful relationship. This dress is so comfortable and flowy, and I feel super fancy but also like I'm wearing pajamas. That's the best kind of outfit. My necklace is hard to see, but it is the teeniest tiniest sweetest cat necklace. Being a cat lady is socially acceptable now, and I love all the cat accessories that have since emerged.

 

jumpsuit – Maurices – $14.98 (clearance + $5 off)

shoes – Modcloth – $17.99 (clearance + 40% off)

fish bracelet – Etsy/gift from Mom and Dad – about $2

TOTAL: $34.97

Jumpsuits are the miracle I have been waiting for. Maxi dresses make me look pregnant, but I love how simple they are. You only have to pick out one thing to wear, and no shaving of legs or wearing tights required. Jumpsuits are BETTER than maxi dresses - they make me look proportionate (!!!), usually have pockets, and I don't have to shave my legs. You're going to see quite a few jumpsuits on this page. My bracelet is made out of the cutest pink fish charm my parents brought me back from Hawaii circa 1998.

jacket – Poshmark – $9

pants – AE – $25.46 (25% off + 10% off + $15 off)

shoes – DSW – FREE! (were $90, all sorts of coupons/discounts)

earrings – free gift from Etsy shop

TOTAL $34.46

I have a huge thing for bomber jackets, and this is the first one I purchased from Poshmark. This one also has embroidery, for which I have a clear weakness. While I did say I am now focusing on small businesses and secondhand, I may still need to get my pants from American Eagle. They fit me the best, and they have killer sales. Plus, it has been fairly difficult to find secondhand jeans that fit my needs and wants. We'll get there.

(It's hard to see, but Phineas is wearing a Biden/Harris onesie.)

jumpsuit – thredUP – $14.99

shoes – Modcloth – $19.99

turquoise ring – gift from Grandma 

TOTAL: $34.98

Here's the second jumpsuit already! It's nothing fancy; it's a Target brand. But I found it on thredUP (the gigantic online thrift store) and bought it. And it's a dream - pockets and all. I wore it to work at the library, and a little girl told me I look like Princess Jasmine. 

cardigan – thredup – $12.60 (30% off first purchase)

jeans – Poshmark/H&M – $17

booties – DSW – FREE! (was $80, had coupons/discounts)

dire wolf bracelet – Etsy – about $5 for supplies

TOTAL: $34.60

This long cardigan thingy is me stepping outside my comfort zone and loving it. It's not something I typically would have chosen, but I love anything red and anything with embroidery. So here we are. My jeans AND shoes are also embroidered, so we might be facing embroidery overload. If there even is such a thing. My bracelet is a dire wolf. I took a Buzzfeed quiz that told me I belonged in House Stark. If Buzzfeed says it, it's got to be true.

sweater – Filly Flair – $16.79 (clearance + 40% off)

jeans – Poshmark – $14

Sperrys – DSW – FREE! (were $60, $100 off)

sand dollar necklace – gift from Mom/Etsy – about $3 for supplies

TOTAL: $33.79

Let me stop and take a moment to talk about Filly Flair. It is a small South Dakota-based boutique, and you know how I feel about supporting small businesses. HOWEVER. Small businesses bank on their owners being the face of the business, which is usually great. In the case of Filly Flair, I recently learned the owner is an anti-masker. That's tough for me. But I also learned she is actively working to make her brand more diverse by featuring diverse models. And that's awesome. I will continue to support this boutique because of the latter, but had it only been the former, I likely would have stopped. There's another South Dakota boutique I used to frequent with an owner who is vocally pro-Trump and anti-LGBTQ+. This is not ok, so I will be spending my money elsewhere. (Of course, this applies to ALL businesses, so I don't shop at Hobby Lobby, Chick-fil-a, or Menards.) Let me descend from my soapbox.

top – Modcloth – $14.50

skirt – One Loved Babe – $19 (buy one get one 50% off)

boots – TOMS – FREE! (post office lost)

necklace – gift from Mom

TOTAL: $33.50

The most important part of this outfit is the necklace. Obviously. Mom brought over a whole bunch of vintage jewelry one day for us to go through with the intent of me listing most of it on Etsy. I found this amazing piece among the other treasures, and I was definitely not going to let it get away. It belonged to my mom in the 1970s, and it makes me feel like Cleopatra.

 

jumpsuit – thredUp – $12.58

shoes – Modcloth – $20.99 (additional 40% off clearance)

ring - gift 

TOTAL: $33.57

Again with the jumpsuits. I hope they never go out of style again. Even if they do, you're going to have to pry my jumpsuits out of my cold, dead hands. My ring is another piece of amazing vintage jewelry. After I started listing vintage jewelry on my Etsy page, I have heard from a few people asking me I would be interested in their vintage jewelry. It was sitting around, and they did not know what to do with it. I LOVE being the vintage jewelry lady. This ring came from the latest batch, given to me by a friend. It belonged to her mom, and HOW COOL is that??

 

blouse – Target – $16.28 (5% off and Target Circle earnings)

pants – thredUP – $7.19

booties – DSW – FREE! (was $80, had coupons/discounts)

druzy bracelet – Etsy – about $9 for supplies

TOTAL: $32.47

This color is totally outside my comfort zone, but I think I'm into it. Palazzo pants are my new thing, and I have found a treasure trove of them on thredUP. I made this bracelet after seeing similar bracelets for sale on Etsy... for $60 on up. This was under $10. So much better.

top – Everyday and Co – $17 (warehouse final sale + 15% off)

jeans – Poshmark – FREE! (seller sale)

shoes – Modcloth – $17.99 (clearance + 40% off)

poison ring – gift from James

RBG necklace - FREE! (was $15, used Amazon cash back)

TOTAL: $34.99

One of the beautiful things about Poshmark is that it is made up of individual sellers. These sellers can decide to run all sorts of crazy sales, and this particular seller had a buy-one-get-one free sale. And that's how I ended up with these jeans. And allow me to draw attention to my ring. It's a vintage poison ring James got on Etsy. For the uninitiated, a poison ring is a ring with a container underneath the bezel that can hold poison (or whatever) to slip into your enemy's drink. Not that I keep poison (or anything) in it, but it's super cool. My amazing RBG necklace was $15 on Amazon, and I HAD to have it. I get cash back from using my Amazon store card, so I was able to use that credit and not pay a thing for this amazing necklace.

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That's it for this outfit session! I've already got stuff on the way to me from thredUP, so stay tuned for the next thrifty edition.

why I'm voting for Biden.

Last week, I posted a blog that ruffled more than a few feathers. I asked why anyone would vote for Trump. (Due to a strong negative reaction within my community, that post has been taken down. Drop me a line if you'd like me to send it to you privately.)

No one told me why they would vote for Trump. 

I'm here today to tell you about why I will vote for Joe Biden. My reasons stated below are based soley on Biden's campaign promises, NOT ON MY OPINION OF TRUMP.

All of this information was found here:

https://joebiden.com/joes-vision

I even divided it into categories for browsing ease.

SCHOOLS & EDUCATION 

• universal pre-kindergarten/childcare for ages 3 and 4 
• tuition-free college for those with household income less than $125,000
• increase funding for Title I programs 
• increase funding for both public schools and Bureau of Indian Education schools
• ensure that students with disabilities have access to educational programs and support they need to succeed, from early interventions to post-secondary education
  
• increase the number of psychologists, guidance counselors, nurses, social workers, and other health professionals in schools so kids get the mental health care they need
• invest in schools to eliminate the funding gap between white and non-white districts, and rich and poor districts
• improve teacher diversity
• support educators by giving them the pay they deserve
• ensure that no child’s future is determined by their zip code, parents’ income, race, or disability

IMMIGRATION 

• reinstate DACA and allow new applicants
• rescind the travel and refugee bans, also referred to as “Muslim bans”
• review Temporary Protected Status for vulnerable populations who cannot find safety in their countries due to by violence or disaster
• ensure that Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection personnel abide by professional standards and are held accountable for inhumane treatment
• revitalize the Task Force on New Americans and boost our economy by prioritizing integration, promoting immigrant entrepreneurship, increasing access to language instruction, and promoting civil engagement
•  end prolonged detention at the border and reinvest in a case management program

COVID-19

• make sure economic relief because of COVID-19 reaches the African American businesses that need it most
• guarantee first responders have priority access to PPE
• emergency paid leave for anyone who gets COVID or needs to take care of a loved one
• free housing for health care workers to quarantine
  
• nationwide vaccination campaign to guarantee fair distribution
• ask every American to wear a mask
  

TAXES

• require a minimum tax on all foreign earnings of United States companies located overseas so that we do our part to put an end to global tax havens

• impose a tax penalty on corporations that ship jobs overseas in order to sell products back to America

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

• end capital punishment

• confront online harassment, abuse, and stalking 

• end federal private prisons

• end all incarceration for drug use alone and divert individuals to drug courts and treatment

• invest in public defenders’ offices to ensure defendants’ access to quality counsel

• expand and use the power of the US Justice Department to address systemic misconduct in police departments and prosecutors’ offices

• ban choke-holds/neck restraints by police

• launch a national police oversight commission

•  decriminalize cannabis use and expunge conviction

•  create a grant program to spur states to shift from incarceration to prevention

• eliminate mandatory minimum sentences 
  
  

GUN CONTROL

• outlaw online firearm and ammunition sales

WOMEN'S RIGHTS & ISSUES

• reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act  
•  tackle the crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women
• end the rape kit backlog
  
• support the needs of survivors of violence against women
• protect and empower immigrant women
• lead the global effort to end gender-based violence
  

SOCIAL JUSTICE 

• LGBTQ+ Equality Act 
• appoint the first Black Woman to the Supreme Court 
• expand competitive, integrated employment opportunities for people with disabilities
• expand broadband access to every American
  
• ensure tribal nations will have a strong voice and role in the federal government
• restore Tribal lands and safeguard natural and cultural resources
  
• ensure full inclusion of people with disabilities in policy development and aggressively enforce the civil rights of people with disabilities

CLIMATE CHANGE & THE ENVIRONMENT

• rejoin the Paris Climate Accords
• protect biodiversity by slowing extinction rates and helping leverage natural climate solutions
• ensure the US achieves a 100% clean energy economy and net-zero emissions no later than 2050

JOBS & THE ECONOMY

• $15 federal minimum wage
• expand bio-based manufacturing to bring cutting-edge manufacturing jobs back to rural America
• double funding for the State Small Business Credit Initiative 
• improve and expand the Small Business Administration programs that most effectively support African American-owned businesses
• expand access to $100 billion in low-interest business loans by funding state, local, tribal, and non-profit lending programs in Latino communities and other communities of color
• protect homeowners and renters from abusive lenders and landlords through a new Homeowner and Renter Bill of Rights 

HEALTHCARE 

• protect and build on the Affordable Care Act to improve access to quality health care in rural communities

• 12 weeks federal paid family leave
  

• guarantee access to high-quality, affordable health care (including mental health care) and expand access to community services 

That's not nearly everything that Biden promises to accomplish, but these are the things that are most important to me. Thanks for reading.

not a baby person.

My son Phineas is just over six months old now. I think he's cute.

 

You should know, though: I'm not a baby person.

Never have been.

One of my biggest concerns when I was pregnant was: will I LIKE my baby?

You might laugh, but that was a legitimate concern for me. I haven't been a fan of babies my entire life. When I was three and a half and my sister was born, I asked my dad if we could throw her away.

Three and a half.

The older I got, the more my feelings for babies... stayed the same. Whenever a classmate announced their mom was going to have a baby, I felt a deep pity for them. I never played house. When I was a senior in high school and the newspaper asked the classic "where do you see yourself in ten years" question, I said I saw myself being rich and living in a mansion. (Didn't happen, by the way.) The vast majority of my classmates said "married with two kids." 

Never in my life have I asked to hold someone's baby. When offered, I typically said something like, "Oh, there are lots of other people who would love to hold your baby!" I was terrified of breaking the baby. Also, there WERE plenty of people wanting to hold babies.

The first non-family baby I ever held was when I was 26. No joke. 

Then I didn't hold another baby until Phineas was born when I was 32.

It's not that I don't like kids. Kids are funny, especially when they hit 4 or 5. It's just toddlers and babies that I'm not so good with... mostly because I have no idea what to do with them.

And don't get me wrong: if you are my friend and you have a baby, I TOTALLY want to meet your baby. I TOTALLY want to hang out with you and your toddler. I just don't want to babysit them.

That's why it's so bizarre to me to now have a baby and encounter baby people out in the wild.

Phineas was in the NICU for four weeks, and when we got out, we were still mid-COVID quarantine. The NICU nurses were all baby people, obviously. But we didn't take Phineas out really at all besides visiting my family and close friends and/or them coming over.

Our first real outing with Phineas was over this past Labor Day weekend in Lincoln, Nebraska. Wherever we went, people exclaimed, "Your baby is SO CUTE! How old is he? What's his name?"

Those are the exact same questions I would ask someone about their dog.

So even though I now have a baby, I am still not a baby person. I am a Phineas person. And it's working for me.

this or that: in which I provide answers to common "one or the other" scenarios.

Before I get started, I am under no illusion that my every thought and opinion matters to anyone but me. I was just lying around last night thinking about this, and I was wondering how many other people had super strong opinions about things that aren't super important (see: Coke v Pepsi). So don't expect any deep thoughts.

Coke or Pepsi?

Coke. All day, every day. Pepsi is a garbage drink. Whenever I ask for Coke in a restaurant and the server asks if Pepsi is ok, I order something else. Pepsi is NOT ok. It will never be a substitution for Coke, so quit asking.

Red or green tractors?

Red, obviously. This is a very divisive topic amongst farm families across the Midwest. Though I am not a farmer in any sense of the word, my dad is. He had red tractors, so I will be planted firmly on the Case IH side until the day I die.

Cats or dogs?

Love them both. Truly, I do. At this stage in my life, though, I am truly a cat person. We have three cats that require very little maintenance, which is essential for life with a six-month-old. Someday, I hope to be in the life position to get a dog (when Phineas is older, perhaps), but right now, I truly appreciate that all our cats need are snuggles and a piece of string for playtime.

Star Trek or Star Wars?

Neither. Don't hate me.

Pancakes or waffles?

Tough one. I'm going to cop out and say it depends. My dad's waffles are the best waffles you will ever have, so every other waffle is disappointing. I love a good yeast pancake. I love breakfast in general.

Morning person or night owl?

Night. 100%. I am the worst morning person you will ever meet. Don't talk to me before 8am.

Summer or winter?

Honestly, who even chooses winter? Especially not around here.

Book or movie?

I'm a librarian. Next question.

Superman or Batman?

Batman. Easy. Batman has the best villains and the best story line. Batman has no superpowers - just strength, cool gadgets, and a chip on his shoulder.

Google or Bing?

Come on.

Frozen yogurt or ice cream?

Ice cream. Frozen yogurt isn't really a thing in the Midwest, land of dairy. Yes, yogurt is dairy, but we Midwesterners prefer our dairy with as much fat as possible. 

Fruits or vegetables?

Overall, I am a fruit person. (Except melons. Melons are bullshit.) I am fond of carrots, corn, peppers, and green beans, but anything else can stay away. Give me a big bowl of fruit any day.

McDonalds or Burger King?

Anymore, neither. McDonalds does have an excellent breakfast, though, so I would choose them. When I was a kid, Burger King had the best toys in their kids' meals. However, their food has always been inferior.

Sandals or sneakers?

Sandals, for sure. I avoid wearing socks whenever I can, and sneakers require socks. Socks remind me of winter and cold. I generally wear sandals April through September, save for the guaranteed April blizzards.

Mountains or beach?

Though I love them both, I am a water person through-and-through. Beach every time.

Laundry or dishes?

I would use disposable plates for the rest of my life if that wasn't so wasteful. I will always choose laundry over dishes.

Pen or pencil?

Pen. I haven't used a pencil since high school.

Beer or wine?

Depends on the beer. Depends on the wine. Depends on what I'm eating. Depends on what I'm doing. 

Lake or pool?

I grew up swimming in Lake Poinsett, so I appreciate the sun and sand. I don't mind that your swimsuit gets green or that you may run across lake creatures as you swim. It's natural and awesome. Chlorine makes me feel gross.

Apple or Android?

Apple 4ever. Androids have the weirdest and least user-friendly interface. I will NEVER SWITCH.

Coffee or tea?

Coffee. Preferably espresso.

Did I miss anything super important? Let me know :)