Deighton Cup Outfit on a Budget

I feel like I've got more equestrian events this year than my entire life! First it was FEI Nations Cup with Longines, now the Deighton Cup, and another equestrian event with Longines in August. Needless to say, I've been in need of a few different outfits for these various events. But you know me, I don't want to break the bank. So, today I wanted to break down for you this affordable Deighton Cup outfit that looks prim and proper!

I've been to the Deighton Cup in Vancouver a few years now, and the style is similar to what you would see at the Kentucky Derby: big hats and chic skirts and dresses. Of course, the most important part of the look is the hat. I have quite a few fascinators actually, all of which are quite affordable. A couple of them I actually got at a local shop in Vancouver a few years ago for $10 each! This one I bought nearly 4 years ago from Roxann's Hats in Fort Langley for $60- still quite affordable as far as fascinators go.

Of course I turned to Value Village for the rest of most of my look: my purse, skirt and heels are all thrifted! You'd never know this amazing full midi skirt with lace hem was 2nd hand - it's such a beautiful piece. It just goes to show that even for an event like the Deighton Cup you don't have to buy new. Even the thrifted heels I'm wearing looked like brand new when I found them. Here's how the entire outfit breaks down (minus bracelet & ring):

Fascinator: $60.00

Necklace: $10

Crop Top: $17.99

Midi Skirt: $8.99

Purse: $4.99

Heels: $19.99

$121.96

Have you been to a similar event before? What did you wear as a hat or fascinator? And how much did it cost you?? I'm curious!

Hat - Roxann's Hats | Shirt - Forever 21 | Necklace - Nobis & Grey | Bracelet - c/o Nobis & Grey | Ring - c/o Nobis & Grey | Purse - Gap (thrifted via Value Village) | Skirt - Asos (thrifted via Value Village) | Heels - H&M (thrifted via Value Village)

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Thrifted Style: Looking Chic for Under $30

You know what's better than a well-styled, put-together outfit? One that's also thrifted! I had a great haul from Value Village about a month ago now, and while it rarely happens, all of the items could be styled together all in one outfit!

As you know, I always look for items that stand out when I'm thrift shopping: a texture, a colour, a label...it could be anything. This Asos skirt ($8.99) caught my eye originally because of the volume - I always get excited when I see a full skirt or dress hidden amongst the aisles. Then I was even more overjoyed when I saw the lace trim along the bottom: how sweet! The top ($4.99) I found was far more basic that what I usually hunt for, but hey it's good to have some simpler pieces too. Here, I dressed it up by styling it with this white statement necklace from Nobis & Grey.

As for the purse ($4.99), the little bow on the front stuck out amongst the other bags (I have a lifelong obsession with bows, after all). Bags are a bit tougher to search for, since smaller bags and wallets are hung up and down the tops of many of the aisles. But if you've got some extra time, you might just find some treasures! Don't forget to check the pockets. You never know what surprises could be inside. I once found a clutch full of some brand new rose gold Aldo bracelets!

Last, I was over the moon when I found these simple single-strap high heels ($9.99). In fact, I found an identical pair in highlighter yellow too! And the kicker: both sets were in mint condition. I have been lusting over other bloggers' heels like these for quite some time, so to find them for such a deal was an absolute treat.

Have you been thrifting lately? What goodies have you found?

Top - Seduction (thrifted via Value Village) | Necklace - c/o Nobis & Grey | Skirt - Asos (thrifted via Value Village) | Purse - Gap (thrifted via Value Village) | Heels - Anne Michelle (thrifted via Value Village)

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Affordable & Sweet Spring Style

Here on Vancouver Vogue, I love sharing affordable outfit inspiration with you. An outfit shouldn't have to break the bank to make you feel awesome. I feel absolutely giddy about this sweet bow-filled outfit, and guess what? No item here is over $20!

I am so over the moon with this top: I love black and white, and have a not-so-small obsession with bows, so when I spotted this SheIn checked bow split back peplum top online, I crossed all my fingers and toes that it would fit. It's got quite a boxy, looser shape in the front, but I think this is actually preferred for hot spring/summer days, and the openness of the back is not only super cute, but great for letting a much needed breeze through to keep me cool. The temperatures are on the rise here early this year (is it summer here already??), so I'm going to be choosing tops like this more to stay cool in the summer heat.

I also love that the bows on the back are adjustable - you can tie them as tight or as loose as you'd like, if you'd rather show a little more or less skin! If you're feeling like your shirt wardrobe needs some spicing up, "party in the back" tops like this are great. You can see a few of my other "party in the back" tops here and here.

Top - c/o SheIn | Necklace - Blue Ocean Jewelry on Etsy | Jeans - Simons | Heels - H&M (thrifted via Value Village) | Purse - Gap (thrifted via Value Village)

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta

Disclaimer: SheIn provided the shirt featured in this post for review. As always, opinions are entirely my own.

Eco Fashion Week: 81 Pound Challenge

My favourite part of Eco Fashion Week is always the Value Village runway shows. Their 81 Pound Challenge aims to bring awareness to the amount of clothing waste we make each year, and shows just what can be done with that waste through upcycling! Every year, the average person throws away 81 pounds of textiles. That's a massive amount! The really concerning part is that just a few years ago, it used to be called the 68 Pound Challenge, but new statistics have been released since then showing that number has continued to rise.

Evan Biddell, the winner of Project Runway Canada Season 1 was the designer tasked with creating an entire runway show from the 81 pounds of clothes this year. Take a look below to see his incredible eco-friendly creations! I've included photos from the Toronto Women's Fashion Week runway show from earlier this year, since Vancouver's showcase did not include a full runway show of Evan's collection. Instead, Eco Fashion Week displayed the 81 Pound Challenge in a unique setting at the Museum of Vancouver, which allowed guests to get up close and personal with each piece, to see how it was constructed! Isn't it inspiring to see what he was able to create with all those old garments?

While at Eco Fashion Week this year, I was very grateful to have the opportunity to share my eco-friendly thrifting hacks with ET Canada's host Erin Cebula, as part of their coverage of Eco Fashion Week in Vancouver. Click to watch the video below, and maybe you'll pick up a few tips for the next time you're thrifting at Value Village!

Again, I also wanted to show my Eco Fashion Week outfit, entired thrifted from my favourite thrift stores, Value Village and Salvation Army. All the details are below!

Coat - Zara $39.99 (via Salvation Army)

Jumpsuit - Zara $13.99 (via Salvation Army)

Blouse - Loft 82 $8.99 (via Value Village)

Heels - Call It Spring $12.99 (via Value Village)

              Purse - Aldo $12.99 (via Value Village)            

Total = $88.95

[ runway photos by Jonathan Hooper ]

Happy (Eco) Styling! xo

~ Britta

Find a Chic Suit on a Budget

Oh man, when I saw this BCBG MaxAzria suit in Salvation Army, it was love at first sight. Do you ever have that moment when you find a thrifted clothing item that looks amazing, and inside your head, you're freaking out thinking "What if it doesn't fit? This has to fit. This is literally so amazing I am going to MAKE IT WORK somehow, even if it doesn't fit!" And then you cross all your fingers and toes as you try it on, hoping it will just fit like a glove? Yeah all of that went through my mind when I found this suit. Thankfully, this was one of those times where the stars aligned and it actually did fit perfectly!

Everyone should have at least one good suit in their wardrobe, and a few pieces of workwear, but it can get really expensive really fast. A good suit or the perfect pair of nice dress pants can run you quite a lot. I'm not one to splurge on stuff like that, so every once in a while, I'll scour my local Value Village or Salvation Army looking for good finds. This whole suit ended up costing me only $24.99!! I've found some great thrifted dress pants and blazers over the years too, from brands like Banana Republic and Judith & Charles. Most items were $8 and under, with some of the more expensive items being only as high as $30.

My biggest piece of advice when thrifting suits, blazers and dress pants: if you're not sure, just try it on! Grab a bunch of different sizes and brands. Sizes fluctuate between brands, so you might be surprised what fits. And don't get hung up on the length, you can always get that tailored if you really need to.

You never know what you'll find. The only way to find the gems like this is to start thrifting!

Suit - BCBG MaxAzria (thrifted via Salvation Army) | Purse - Richmond Night Market | Heels - Aldo (thrifted via Salvation Army)

Happy Styling! xo

~ Britta