FOCAL POINT STYLING: September 2012

Earlier this month I had gotten bit by the plaid bug. I think it was from a bedroom I saw in a Pottery Barn catalog and something just clicked. Maybe it was the shades of grey in the plaid fringe throw & shams pictured in the catalog. Maybe it was the plaid pairing with a clean lined comforter. Maybe it was because Spring & Summer got so over saturated with chevrons & stripe prints. Be that as it may, something about plaid made me notice it a bit more this Fall season... and not so much in all the big box stores or specialty shops, but at Goodwill. If you're wanting to try a new pattern in your home or wardrobe, without spending a lot of money, thrifting is the way to go. Check out what I was able to find...

Plaid inspirations for Fall...

Turned into spotting plaid at my local Goodwill stores...

FANTASTIC plaid wrap skirt!

This would look GREAT with some rich brown leathers boots!

Add a bit of plaid to your Thanksgiving tablescape with plaid napkins...

Gotta have a Burberry plaid!

Another great plaid skirt for Fall...

And these need not only stay as skirts: Use the material to make pillow covers...

The black & white plaids look refreshed with a shot of gold

(I didn't get the skirts, but I did get that gold belt for $2 on a Super Saturday Sale!)

GREAT cape for fall!

I actually thrifted these Fitz & Floyd plates back in Florida for only .75 cents ea!!

GREAT to pull out for Fall! See the tablescape I made at:

Golden Autumn Tablescape

Sometimes you can find prints that reference what you're looking for,

like this scarf references hounds-tooth... which by the way,

Homegoods did have a great hounds-tooth throw...

Great Chanel-like bouclée jacket - Perfect to pair with jeans & pearls for the fall...

Cute hounds-tooth dress

(not for me - but still a cute find!)

Silk scarf, perfect for a pillow!

Pillow shams to layer in for Fall...

GREAT tartan plaid - but LOVED that PIN!!

Even spotted a plaid wing-back chair for only...

(brace yourself)

Here in Arizona, Goodwill hosts 50% off Super Saturday Sales, which means

this number would have only been under $5!

And the plaid bug also bit Lisa at The Goodwill Gal.

I thought this was a fun idea to repurpose

a flannel shirt with, and even better - it was only $1!

From my Moodboard Monday: Going Mad For Plaid!

What first started here:

Pottery Barn - Plaid Fringe blanket & Shams

quickly inspired me to be in the mood for plaid this fall...

Outside of thrift, you can even spot a few touches of plaid prints for Fall,

like this gorgeous line from Tory Burch...

Sequins in plaid...

Tory Burch: FALL FOR PLAID

LOVE the mix & colors!

Reminds me of my Milo Baughman chair,

I thrifted in Florida, but earlier this year, I had recovered in...

You guessed it:

PLAID!!

And guess where I found the glen plaid fabric?

At good ole Goodwill!

Read more about it at:

My Milo Baughman Thrift Chair Makeover

What have you thrifted lately?

What are some prints or looks you're crushing on this Fall?

Last weekend, I kicked into major Fall cleaning and transformed the living room and bedroom for fall. I think monsoon season is over here in AZ, so this weekend I'll be able to tackle & set the stoop for Fall!

Thanks for stopping by!

Sweet Salvage did it again! Another fantastic monthly installment of visual splendor! Coming across this Vintage Market Monthly Pop-Up Shop has definitely been a bright spot since moving here to Arizona. This shop merges the thrill of thrift or vintage hunting with the visual excitement retailers these days have thrown to the wayside. Sweet Salvage artfully layers dramatic vignettes, based on a monthly evolving theme, and proves "more is more" is a GOOD thing. This was my third visit and tour of this vintage pop-up market, curated by local vintage dealers, and I have not yet been disappointed. Sure, big-box retailers like ZGallerie, Pottery Barn, West Elm and Crate & Barrel execute floor moves and store sets, tweak visual presentation monthly or weekly, and may even flip the store merchandise flow (tip: it's a merchandising trick to make you believe what is old is new again), but they all play it "safe". The visual presentation at Sweet Salvage transports you another time or location, and not always just to celebrate a season or a holiday... but Fall did kick off this past weekend and touring Sweet Salvage was a wonderful way to be inspired for the new season...

This month's installment was called "Wicked Faire", a theme chosen from the engagement of their fans on the Sweet Salvage Facebook page. This concept (IMO) totally beats out the "centralized" format of big-box stores. Why? Because it speaks to the local market. (I wish more of the big-box retailers would have select stores with these special localized shops!!) Sweet Salvage brings to life the imagination of what people want to see. This month's Wicked Faire was a combination of a vintage Halloween + Fall finds, with a bit of "steampunk style" mixed in and it just works!

Touring big-box stores is a great way to get inspiration for color combinations or seasonal changes. Touring specialty shops in your area is a wonderful way to support your local businesses. Did I buy something during this visit? No... but I did share my photos I shot on Facebook and that helps other locals to know about this shop. I also tweeted about the shop and from the shop, which is another way to help hype up a pop-up shop. The crowds seem to be increasing, and Sweet Salvage even introduced a Pre-View Party on Wednesday evening (no shopping, just looking) which is another way to help increase hype & traffic to a pop-up shop. Next months installment is called French Market and I'm looking forward to it. If you're in the Phoenix area, I hope to see you there!