Presenting ... Second Skin

Now here's a girl after my own heart -- an entire room devoted to her thrifting finds/Etsy goods, which can be seen in all it's glory here. So without further ado, I'd like to present the lovely Ms. Christina of Second Skin. Undoubtedly, most of you have already had the pleasure and are completely aware of her knack for finding great vintage pieces, mixing and matching them in quirky, yet creative ways and her consistently cute photos, with dress form and all!

But what some of you don't know is that she's actually from my neck of the woods, a fashion blogging rarity if you ask me as we don't have too many of us in northern Nevada. I actually got a chance to meet Christina while we were both out thrifitng at a local Goodwill. She admired my riding boots and I was eyeing the stuff she had managed to round up from the store. It was like blogger deja vu, because we sorta recognized each other, but not really.

Long story short, as I'm just rambling here, Christina was kind enough to answer some questions here on This Time Tomorrow. Do read on, and if you haven't already, check out her blog, Second Skin.

Take it away, Christina.

Name: Christina Marie

Age: 30
Occupation: Vintage Seller, and Yoga Instructor / Art Therapy Coordinator at a residential care facility for young people with eating disorders

Store to most likely find you camping out in: Two years ago my New Years Resolution was to buy NOTHING NEW clothing wise for the entire year in order to curb my overspending and materialism. My built-in loop hole was that I could buy second hand from thrift stores. I didn't break my resolution and actually extended it for the rest of my life. I occasionally purchase new things now (basics from American Apparel are a luxury I allow myself), but you can find me camped out at my local thrift stores any day of the week. Obviously I didn't curb my tendencies, but am spending far less money!

Favorite Beatle and why? George is my favorite because he wrote my favorite song "While my Guitar Gently Weeps" about the I Ching, The Book of Changes, which opened doors for me philosophically.

Describe your style. What's Ms. Christina's style mantra? I wear things that make me feel pretty and happy. If I'm not feeling it, I don't sweat it, I sell the offender or give it away. I find myself in dresses most of the time because they are basically a complete outfit (just add boots!) in fact, the "dress, belt and boots" combo was probably my signature for a while, but I am always trying new things. I love neutrals but have recently been working a few jewel tones in. My mantra I guess would be: Just smile and have fun with it.

What was your inspiration for starting up a fashion blog and what have you enjoyed the most about it thus far? A bit of a difficult question for me actually. I started my very first blog with a friend for social reasons. I loved her clothes and never got to see her wearing them (busy lives), so I proposed we just start a blog and take pictures of ourselves and post them so we can see what each of us is wearing and keep in touch (though she lived 5 miles away). That morphed and changed and for complicated reasons, I eventually broke off and started Second Skin on my own. Coincidentally, the thing I like the most about blogging even now, is the social aspect of meeting people and having interactions with them in the blog world. I am a busy introvert and blogging provides an adequate social life for people like me. It's not perfect but it works.

Fashion icons? Well, Jane Birkin if we are talking like obvious and famous, but I get most of my inspiration from bloggers. I could name a few but just about everyone inspires my wardrobe in some way on any given day. I know it sounds like a cop out but its accurate. Bloggers provide endless inspiration and try things that I think celebrities wouldn't because they have less to lose. Although, I am beginning to believe that bloggers are the new celebrities.

Complete this sentence: "I feel best when wearing..." BOOTS. It doesn't matter what else I am wearing really, as long as I have my boots on. They feel like my second feet.

Fashion advice for other girls your age out there. Just try it. You love it? Then just try it out. Wear it to the post office or bank. Your instincts will tell you if its working.

If your clothes could say one thing to you, what would they say? Wear me and love me, or let me go. I used to be a terrible hoarder of vintage clothing. I had four full industrial sized rolling racks and a full closet overflowing with it. That is why I started my Etsy shop really, just to lighten the load and clear the backup. Everything is cyclical and the more I let go the more I get. I am still working on it though, as my clothes would tell you.