The Braided Bandit

3/5/12

Sunset at the Reservoir

Hello hello! For once, a Monday where I do not hate the world! The reason being, it is a balmy sixty degrees here in Colorado today and the sun is shining! It was so very nice to walk from my car to work this morning and not freeze my butt off. I know March is usually the coldest and snowiest month here and it will be back in the 30s by Wednesday, but it is really nice to have a little sneak peak of Spring to have something to look forward to.

These pictures were taken yesterday at the reservoir at sunset. Growing up on the beach, I found this reservoir to be quite disappointing, but at least I know there is a place to go swimming in the summer. I was going to try it out last summer, but there is a ten dollar fee or something to go there, which I think is ridiculous, so I turned around and did something else. Maybe it was just disappointing because all the foliage is a monochromatic brown right now. Or maybe the ocean has just spoiled me. Probably both.

Outfit Details:

Jacket: thrifted/ Nine West

Vest: thrifted/ vintage

Shoes: thrifted/ vintage

Dress: thrifted/ Old Navy

Tights: Sears

I wore this outfit to a birthday brunch for R's mom and grandfather. I really kind of love it when someone compliments what I am wearing and I can say every part of my outfit is either vintage, thrifted, or both. Is that strange? Most people probably enjoy getting outfit compliments and saying its from a coveted designer or fancy store. I get a lot of pleasure knowing that I am recycling and not feeding into unsustainable consumerism more than I would from being able to say its made by so and so, and besides... this type of shopping is what I can afford right now! I got this little grey and white striped cotton dress at goodwill the other day for $3.50, and I know its nothing too exciting, but I think it is going to be making MANY appearances in my spring wardrobe- so comfy!
Sorry about the quality of these pictures. My camera is having trouble focusing and it is also making everything look washed out. It needs to be sent to the camera doctor, but I don't want to have to be without a camera! Alright, well I hope you week is off to a warm and sunny start!
xo Hannah
*Disclaimer: I love many designers and stores. I also do not think badly of the people who shop at these places, I just usually personally get more satisfaction when I get things second hand! :)

2/27/12

Scarlet Begonias

Ugh Monday. There goes my resolution to be more positive, killed in the very first utterance of the day. I don't think it is possible for me to be very positive on Monday mornings though, unless its some sort of holiday I have off. This weekend, however, was nice. Friday night I met a friend and we tried this wine and cheese restaurant and bar, which was delicious. I don't really think you can go wrong with that combo...ever. I had a glass of Riesling, my favorite. Then we split a butternut squash dip appetizer and an apple, brie, and caramelized onion panini as our entree. This was followed my chocolate fondue for dessert. Yup, heaven. I was in a delectable coma of cheesy chocolatey goodness afterwards, which did make the drive home afterward a little difficult.

Saturday was full of the one thing that makes me even more excited than food! Thrifting! (Alright, well it's a close tie). A thrift store in the next town over does an event twice a year called the ten dollar bag sale. It's pretty much the best thing ever. For ten dollars, you get to fill a paper grocery bag with as much clothes and shoes as you can. I roll everything into little balls, and got four pairs of shoes and probably about 15 dresses in my bag! You can fill as many bags as you want, but since I sometimes want to be able to see the floor of my room, I tried to use some self control. Some of the stuff I am excited to try and alter a little bit with my new sewing machine too.

Outfit Details:

Dress: Vintage

Blouse: Vintage

Tights: Sears

Boots: Target (last year)

This dress is one of my new finds from this weekend. I love the little silver flower buttons up the front! The blouse is another favorite find from the past, and I am really surprised it hasn't surfaced on here yet. The flower embroidering is really pretty, and there is another one on a a front pocket that isn't pictured. As for the post title, as I am sure you can gather, I am standing in front of a scarlet building (also seen in this Chevron post), and I have floral dress on- they are probably not Begonias though. I love the red back drop, but red is really hard to photograph! The camera kept on focusing on the building details, making me in the foreground a little fuzzy. And as usual, I couldn't resist a silly jump shot!

xo Hannah

2/23/12

Losing Focus

Do you ever start something having the best intentions but then somehow lose focus? I feel like I started this blog with a very clear purpose in mind last summer. This blog was created primarily as a sort of promotional tool for my vintage clothing shop on etsy. There were many other aspects of having a blog that I was excited about too, such as making friends, having a creative outlet in which to develop my writing and photography, and having a place to share a little bit more about my life, my style, and who I am with others. I feel like the original goal of my blog has been overshadowed though by all of these fun secondary benefits I have gotten from it.
That is not at all to say that I do not love all of those other parts of blogging. I would not continue this if I did not love exploring other people's blogs for inspiration, getting to know some of the lovely people who write them, and especially, getting amazing comments and kind words on a daily basis from kind strangers and friends alike!

     Blogging can open up so many amazing opportunities, and though I feel like I am still getting the hang of the whole thing, this has already proved to be true. For example, last month while I was traveling in Hawai'i, I got an email from someone who I had never met before. I had commented on a photography tutorial she had done, which brought her to my blog, and through that she figured out we would be vacationing on the same island at the same time. Though we did not actually get a chance to meet up, we got to texting and were able to even recommend places to each other. It was such a cool experience that I would never have had without this blog!
   I hope to be able to keep these wonderful aspects of blogging intact, while taking a minute to step back and think about what all of this was for though. My original idea of a vintage and recycled clothing shop came from my passions for both fashion and environmentalism (along with my addiction to thrifting, I might add). So, while I love sharing my outfits and thoughts and one hundred percent want to continue doing so, I want to put more work into my shop too! It has been hard for me to put in the extra "work" during these cold winter months, but I am feeling inspired and motivated to get everything back on track! You can look forward to seeing some pretty new things from The Braided Bandit Vintage in the near future!

Thanks for listening to my rant!
xo Hannah
*Note: All above images are past items from my shop (already sold).

2/21/12

Oh Deer Me!

It's been almost a week since I have posted! I think sometimes I am less motivated to make a new post when I really like an outfit or set of pictures that are already up. Then, whatever follows always feel like it won't compare! Anyway, that is kind of how I feel about following my valentines post with its cozy pink dress, whimsical balloons, and snowy backdrop, with this more low key post. Does any other blogger ever feel that way? Oh well! At least this vintage sweater has an adorable deer on it! (Hence, the really cheesy post title.)

I have meant to add this sweater, among tons of other things, to my Etsy shop, but as usual, I have been so very lazy. I wish I could work a part time job and do that as the other half, instead of working full time and never feeling motivated after work to do more "work". Perhaps when I start eating healthier and join a gym, both of which I plan to start this week, I will have more energy to do the things I want to do! Isn't it funny how sometimes, even though that will take even MORE time out of the day, it can actually make me feel so much better about everything that I will get more done. Endorphins, anyone? Yes please.

Outfit Details:

Boots: Target

Sweater: Vintage/ thrifted

Leggings: American Apparel

Dress (worn as skirt): Buffalo Exchange (Denver)

Scarf: thrifted

For a little snippet of what I have been up to... (since I am sure all of your probably haven't been sleeping at night because you want to know so badly)... I spent this weekend in Denver for a little mini stay-cation. We stayed at the Curtis, which is a pretty hip little hotel right downtown. Each floor has a different theme such as horror movies, Speed Racer, musicians, etc., which was pretty cool. The part that sold me was they handed us warm chocolate chip cookies upon checking in as our welcome gift. What a brilliant idea! Saturday night we went out for dinner and a few drinks, and Sunday was spent at the museum of Nature and Science, which was really cool minus the ten millions snotting children running wild!

To leave this on a positive note, which I am going to try to do more often, these pictures were taken on the back deck of my newish place. I am really excited for the hopefully soon-approaching warmer weather so I can spend some time on this cute little porch! I am dreaming of roommate dinners and Friday night cocktails outside, summertime white Christmas lights, and reading outside in the sun on weekends!

xo Hannah

2/14/12

Be Mine

Happy Valentines Day!

Taking a break from the island posts to bring you a little wintry whimsy! I love the way that snow makes every other color seem more special and important. I have been whining about it a lot lately since returning from vacation, but today, I am embracing it! I found this lovely pink vintage dress last week and it is so cozy. I cannot decide if I am going to be putting it in the shop or keeping it yet. I love that it has a fresh spring color, but is warm enough to wear while it is still chilly out too. The pink and grey reminds me of my my friend Michelle who is queen of that color combo whom I miss! You should check out her tumblr if you are in the mood to smile. For example, her current Valentine post is "I love you more than Kanye love Kanye!"

Outfit Details:

Dress: Vintage

Tights: Target

Wedges: DSW (MIA Pampa Desert Booties)

Necklace & Earrings: Forever21

So R and I decided to not really do gifts this year but still plan to spend a nice evening together after work. I am super excited because I thrifted an adorable little (hershey kiss shaped) fondue pot that we are going to cook a special little dinner in. Fondue is my favorite! I think we are going to try a sharp cheddar-garlic-beer combo, because really, how could you go wrong with that! Then, we each pitched in for a hotel in Denver this weekend so we can enjoy the city and avoid the craze of doing anything on actual Valentines Day.

I hope all of you have a terrific day, whether you are doing a movie night with the girls, spending time with a loved one, or ignoring the holiday and just having a nice night to yourself! I always appreciate all of your kind words here! I would love to hear of your plans for the night!

Love, Hannah

2/13/12

A walk through the jungle

Still posting Hawai'i photos, but I am almost all caught up! Then its back to the snowy backdrop of the Rockies. These are a few of my favorite pictures from the Hawai'i Tropical Botanical Garden near Hilo on the big island. It is an amazing place consisting of a boardwalk through a lush jungle of tropical flora and fauna. Many of the plants looked to me like small alien species instead of flowers! Full of intricate spirals, complex geometry and an plethora of exotic colors, it was truly a beautiful place in paradise!