Back from the Dead Part 2: On going through Puberty…Again
NOTE: If you haven’t read part one of my “Back from the Dead” series, I highly recommend it. You’ll probably be less confused.
Yep, that title is correct and I likely just blew your mind. Don’t worry, I felt the same way too when my therapist told me that it’s very normal to gain weight at my age. But…I thought that was what the freshman 15 was in college? Well kind of, but there is way more to the whole freshman 15 phenomenon than we’ve all been led to believe (this article from Cosmo is likely to clear up how the female body changes throughout your 20s). For most people that know me, or if you’ve ever met me, you are likely to wonder why gaining weight is such a big deal (I’m 5′ 7″, athletic build, approx. 150 lbs just to give you an idea). And the answer is, nothing really, but most women are freaked out to find that they’ve gained weight especially when you look in the mirror and don’t notice anything alarmingly different about your body. More than anything, it’s incredibly frustrating to go to put on a pair of shorts you bought a year ago only to find they don’t fit you anymore.
Basically, I needed new clothes except for one problem: the places I used to shop were no longer meant for my build. Like most broke college girls, I primarily shopped at Forever21, Charlotte Russe, pretty much any other “flash fashion” store, with some clearance American Eagle pieces sprinkled in. But I am effectively a woman now and have to come to terms with the fact that womanly curves requires a womanly budget. Having made peace with the fact that I would probably be spending more on clothes than I have in the past, I set to work on rebuilding my wardrobe.
Kindred
Kindred has been all over my Insta-feed, mainly because there have been a lot of local bloggers who have been posting all their cute finds and I wanted in on the action. Well…I mostly just wanted cute clothes. Kindred was created by Adam Pfiefer, Tyler Enders and Thomas McIntyre — the masterminds behind the Made in KC marketplace locations that have been popping up around the metro along with a few other boutique concepts — and is made up of several local boutiques, including Anchora Bella, Ruby Rouge and 1KC. the first thing I noticed when my sister and I stopped in at the Overland Park location was how huge the space was. The second thing I noticed was the Sale rack. I may have to pay more for my clothes, but I don’t have to pay full price. Upon perusing the sales rack, I came across this adorable jumpsuit that I thought would be perfect for the summer and early part of fall.
I had been looking everywhere for a cute jump suit, but often ran into problems in the bust, crotch or butt area, sometimes in all three places. What I like the most about this jumpsuit is how roomy it is throughout my three “problem” areas, including the leg area, making for a casual “out-and-about” look. The arm holes are also cut low enough to wear a crop top, show off a little skin without having to put my “beer pooch” on display.
Coco Brookside
I’ve driven past Coco Brookside plenty of times on the way to and from my therapy appointments and have, admittedly never noticed it. It wasn’t until I attended an event hosted by Coco and Style a la Mode, that I got the chance to visit this cute little boutique. I would say Coco is a small space, but still has a lot to offer in terms of clothing variety. You’re sure to walk away with something you’ll love. In my case, I walked away with two things and I will definitely be back for more. There were too many cute outfits and not enough money in my bank account. Not to Mention, that Coco has two sister stores: Lady Bye, also located in Brookside and Kate in the River Market.
Having Style a la Mode at the event at Coco had to be the best part of the event (aside from the shopping. Who doesn’t love that?). To have a stylist on-site to help me pick out clothes, especially while I’m still figuring out which styles, cuts and silhouettes are going to be the most flattering on my “new” body, was very helpful and insightful.
I decided on a pair of green paperbag pants that I absolutely love on me. They synch my waist perfectly and are loose throughout the leg, which is huge for me since I’m always looking for loose fitting pants that are actually, loose on my former runner legs (I don’t run competitively anymore, but I never lost the muscle tone. Good problem to have, but finding clothes requires a little more effort.)
I also purchased a black, midi-dress that with a slit that goes across the small of the back. It provides a nice summer breeze and while the elastic in the bottom half of the slit pulls the fabric just enough to show off a soft silhouette. It’s almost like a tunic: it drapes off my form just enough for a relaxed look but could still be dressed up a little if the occasion called for it.
Do Good Co.
The concept behind Do Good Co. isn’t all that complex; a resale boutique that benefits local charities around Kansas City, specifically Wayside Waifs and Kids TLC. I say resale boutique, because I would say the prices are in the boutique range. And that might be where the rubber hits the road for some people; buying a used item at a moderately new price, but when you consider where the cost of that item is going, I find it a little easier to swallow the price. Initially, I didn’t know that Do Good Co. existed. A friend took me when I mentioned how desperately I needed clothing. I said I needed clothing and walked away with a straw hat, that I felt I couldn’t live without for the summer, and to this day, have not worn due to trying to figure out how to style my hair. Even though I walked away with no new threads, I am looking to return to Do Good Co. this weekend for their yard sale that starts today and ends on Sunday. Details on the Yard Sale can be found here.
Where are your favorite places to shop? Are you attending any excited sale events this weekend? Tell me everything.
