Author: Jesseca Aquino

Granny’s here with some of her favorite things *cue Sound of Music soundtrack*. Sure, rad clothes and accessories are important, but so is affordability. Looking cute doesn’t mean you need to make your wallet cry.

A huge thing I like to look out for are certain details in the design unique to the product, whether it be a particular cut, the buttons, the zipper alignment, embroidery, pattern, or even the history behind it. If it tells a story, snag that item quick.

Power Pants

When an item of clothing makes you feel like power is coursing through your veins, it’s doing it’s job. I picked up these pants for $2 at a Salvation Army during an afternoon out on the prowl for some top notch threads.

Cool features:

• the cut of the pant is straight legged, but with a thinned waist for a snug fit around your hips, accentuating them so much you have to be careful not to knock someone’s eye out when walking around.
• The black and white floral pattern is gorgeous. It reminds me of cut black paper on a white background, playing with your perception of positive and negative space. A work of art that leaves the viewers speculating.

Dress to Impress

This dress is a total show stopper and was basically free. Thrift Trader is deals central. If you have any unwanted clothing festering in your closet, TT can fix that up for you right quick. Just drop them off and collect trades that are applicable to clothes, accessories, records/tapes, shoes, and loads more. It’s like the recycling of the fashion world. Save and look good doing it.

Cool features:

• The floral print is so beautiful, it’s almost imposing. You’re like this grand flower taking the natural world by storm. Self confidence and self love are your sun, water, and soil.
• The gold buttons lining the front of the dress might be my favorite part of the piece. Though the dress does require some maintenance from time to time, such as sewing a stray button back on, it’s worth it. It’s similar to maintaining an older model car with beautifully tailored parts specific to the car itself.

You Shoe-d Look Out for a Pair of These

Another steal from Thrift Trader for a measly $5. These shoes called out to me among the sea of used clothing treasure and I was sucked in.

Cool features:

• Happiness comes in the form of canary yellow heeled Doc Martens. The color almost gives daffodils a run for their money. Though they’re a bit worn, these sunshine shoes are no joke.
• These shoes will have you skipping, and not in the way you’re probably thinking. Your silly college student body will feel inclined to dance, skip, run to class. This pair of beauts are the perfect way to take your school day by storm.

Piet Mondrian’s Bag

This cool piece is a new granny favorite to keep her yarn and candies in. The hook up is real at Pack Ratt Records along El Cajon. Every time I walk in, I walk out with something infinitely cooler than the last. This bag is no exception.

Cool features:

• This isn’t really Piet Mondrian’s bag, but if he somehow rose from the dead and came out with a new sensible bag line, this would be the product of his work. The pattern absolutely kills, almost water color-esque with those yellows and muted greens and greys.
• Aside from the color palette, the zipper on the front might be one of my favorite details. The diagonal cut really adds to the composition. It hits “sensible and handy work of art” on the nail.

*End Sound of Music soundtrack* I hope you dug some of these pieces, because I know my closet is one happy camper. Going out and compiling your wardrobe should be an adventure, a quest for style. Nothing beats the satisfaction of finding something rad after a hard day’s work of digging through your local thrift store. So hey, if you ever see me around town, give me a holler and we can go find some goods together.

Thrift Trader:

2947 El Cajon Blvd

San Diego, CA

4879 Newport Ave

San Diego, CA

1416 Garnet Ave

San Diego, CA

Pack Ratt Records:

4952 El Cajon Blvd

San Diego, CA 92115

 

 

Its’s heating up here on campus and it’s not because of all you hot tamales. This is San Diego and the sun shows no mercy. The fact that the sweat is on doesn’t excuse poor outfit choices. Don’t you dare turn to your straight legged jeans or khaki shorts paired with your favorite pair of worn out rainbow sandals. I know it’s “comfortable” and “convenient” but comfy and convenient doesn’t have to mean putting your fashion at stake. You might as well visit the mortuary because your rep is dead. But fear not, because grandmother glamour is here to rescue you from a tacky and tasteless death.

Think about the countless clothing options that scream coolest cat in town, literally and figuratively. Not only will you be cool, but you’ll be cool. Take these tips to heart, cutie, because you should never settle for less. Especially when it comes to rockin’ the worlds of everyone around you with your grade-A garbs.

Granny tip #1: Make like a cake and layer

Finicky weather can be combated with sensible battle armor. Layered battle armor, no less. Don’t let the frigid fifty degree morning weather pierce your fragile San Diegan skin, but also don’t over exert that sun-kissed skin of yours once afternoon hits. Whether it be a cute dress with a warm cardigan or some cool jeans and a sweater with a handy undershirt, it’s easier to be able to do something about it than nothing at all. Having layers gives you the freedom to do something about it. Get too hot? Take your 99.9% fine wool sweater off and air out.

Granny tip #2: Flip-flops are a flop

They’re sensible, they’re easy to wear, but if you’re not planning a trip to the beach any time soon, try again. Characteristics like sensibility and ease can be found in all different kinds of shoes. If you’re going to be spending $30-$50 on something to protect your feet as you rush from class to class, invest in a versatile shoe. Time and time again you might turn to your beat up rainbows, but try showin’ some love to some comfy Vans, boots, shoes that say you’re ready to kick the day’s sunny butt.

Granny tip #3: Put the “fun” in “college student fashion”

You can’t see the fun right away, but it takes time, just rearrange the letters and you’ve got it. Overall, just rock who you are in this battle against the elements. Every little fashion statement you’ve chosen for yourself is a reflection of who you are, so own it, dude. I’m all for letting the world know about how tired you are of it’s shenanigans, but it doesn’t mean you can’t look smokin’ while doing so. Swap those khaki shorts for some jean shorts that hug what Mother Nature gave ya. Don’t hide behind your clothes and call it comfort. Let the you shine through with confidence while also being comfortable enough to withstand a full day of large lectures and presentations. You’ll shine so bright your poor peers will need sunglass protection from more than just the sun. Don’t let the heat bring ya down, cutie. Sweat in style.

These are all just little things that cross my mind as we leave the winter that never happened and inch towards the heat San Diego’s known for. Do with it what you will, but just know that grandma’s always got your back.

 

This week on Jess tries to be a fashion blogger: I chase after cuties trying to grab some grub at the Farmer’s Market. After washing down my Takoyaki with some thai tea, I adjusted my obnoxiously pink checkered glasses frames and whispered “sic ’em”.  If you heard the rubber soles of Docs squeaking against concrete near Hepner, that was me. Take a gander at these cuties as they struggled to answer the “fashion-centered” questions that fell out of my silver stained lips as I tried to keep my cool. But how could one keep cool in Sunny San Diego, am I right? 🙂

Why go to the beach to grab some sun when you’ve got sunshine packed into the gorgeous computer engineering major that is Trisha Tolentino? You may be wondering, did this angel snag her threads from the heavens? Close! She thrifted all these beauties, those rad high waisted denim jeans included. Moms and American Apparel fanatics alike are drooling at the perfect fit, showing off what Mother Nature gave her.

Being someone so flamboyantly clad the majority of my existence, the appreciation of black is a biggie for me. I was this mess of pinks, blues, and yellows yelling “hey hi yeah you hi” and waving my notebook to grab attention. If that wasn’t enough, when I asked for a name and got “Easter” I replied “like the Sunday?”. My overly zealous parent aesthetic is raging.

Easter does the majority of her shopping online, which is mega rad. Hurrah to convenience and practicality. From UNIF to NastyGal to the grandfather of online shopping: Ebay, this gal is scorin’ some steals.

My questionable vision spotted that sweater from a mile away and by a mile I mean several feet away in line at J. Wok. Sorry to have disrupted your food buying vibes, dude, but with a sweater like that I’m surprised you’re not swarmed on the daily. Another thrifted look, another look you’ll never be able to completely replicate. Sorry kids. But take this as a sort of cool kid template. Wanna look cool af? Take a gander at Harry.

 This is comfy done SO so right. Lose the yoga pants, SDSU hoodies, and free runs and learn a thing or two from this Boho babe. Comfortable doesn’t have to look like just rolled out of bed. That sheer white dress is a work of art on her, paralleling one of the countless famous marble statues of the fine art world. The yellow flowers in the flower crown adorning her head accent the look perfectly and symbolize the royalty we all know she is.

Sporting a sweater that says “this is what the greatest outdoorsman looks like”, who wouldn’t want to be this kid’s friend? Every inch of this fit has a story worth telling and my ears are listening. I fawned over the multi-textured, multi-colored shoes that he scored at the outlet. Patterns never clash is the motto and these shoes are the complete embodiment of it. This kid ain’t hittin’ the gym but is most def hittin’ the streets lookin’ fab af with that gym bag. Exercise your right to bein’ the coolest cat on Campanile.

Give these grade A cuties a round of applause for kickin hams at lookin rad! I mean, they looked so stellar I took time to set down my thai tea and go up to them. They are the planets and we are all mere moons. You could almost say I gravitated towards them *cue generic laugh track*.

I hope I didn’t scare any of you too much when I nervously ran up to you with literally no questions prepped. Just a lot of “you’re so cute”s and “I really dig that”s. This blog is almost like my excuse to finally go up to and appreciate the cuties I pass on the daily. Appreciation of an outfit is essential to the cool cutie community, it’s the chill thing to do. The SDSU population is a blur of frat boys and longboarders, so when ya see someone who peaks your interest, dude go for it.