Today’s post comes with the help of the lovely Hadley Hartz. You may remember Hadley from her stint on Southern Belles but I’ve gotten to know Hadley through her blog, Hadley’s Reality. It’s a mix of beauty tips, fashion, her love of thrifting and other tidbits from her life in Louisville.
I’m always excited to connect with other local bloggers and I seriously cannot wait for the shopping date we have set up in a couple weeks. She is a serious thrift shopper who has scored some amazing things (like a Hermes belt, yup, seriously) while digging through local stores and she’s going to give me a lesson in Thrifting 101 which I will be back to share with you later this month.
Oh and she’ll be giving me that lesson after spending her days teaching at JCTCS while pursuing her PhD. Yeah, she’s definitely a busy girl. So I’m happy that she took a few minutes to share how she developed her great style, some of her fashion inspiration and her favorite local stores with Lou What Wear. Enjoy and make sure you check out her site!
Meet Hadley. In her words she “just turned thirty but act like I am twenty.” When she’s not blogging you’ll find her working as college professor, exploring all the Highlands has to offer or walking with her pup Z in Cherokee Park. She’s also finishing up her dissertation and next time she’s featured we may be referring to her as Dr. Hartz.
Here’s the rest of the story…
Who or What inspired your love of style?
It’s not so much a who but a what that inspired my style. Growing up in a small town in Kentucky left me high and dry to find something unusual and fabulous to wear. I didn’t have access to the fabulous clothes I would see in the magazines… so I did what any fashionista would do – I thought outside of the box.
I would visit the local Goodwill and would look for unique or vintage pieces. Looking back now I was definitely taking risks (and not always good ones!), but funny enough, I ended up getting ‘Best Dressed’ in high school! I wore a uniform to school so when I could wear something else, I went all out!
I love to hunt and find that perfect pair of vintage high-waisted jeans at a thrift store for a few bucks or a super soft old leather clutch for a fraction of the original price. I love LOVE fashion but have to try and recreate the looks I find in Vogue for pennies on the dollar. Vintage is the new Vogue. Vintage pieces are always sprinkled into almost any outfit I wear – from jewelry to handbags, coats to dresses – I love it all! Vintage items allow your outfit to be unique and give you the comfort of knowing that no one else will have on what you are wearing.
Whose closet do you covet?
There are two closets that I lust over – one real and one imaginary. I would love to have Carrie Bradshaw’s crazy, colorful and completely nonsensical wardrobe. Most of her things are completely ridiculous but that’s why I love them. She puts together patterns and accessories that no one could even imagine. And then there is her shoe collection – drool.
For a more practical option I would want Rachel Zoe’s attire – she has a lot of great basic pieces. She is more into wearing black and white where Carrie is more into pops of color and random pieces (remember the bird on her head?). I think with both combined I would have my dream wardrobe!
You are a thrifting pro, what are some of your favorite spots? And your best find.
My favorite spots for thrifting have to be The Nearly New Shop on Bardstown Road in Midcity Mall, New to You in Indiana (right across the bridge), any Salvation Army or St. Vincent DePaul, and Unique Thrift Store. It’s true that you have to be ready to dive in and dig around but let me tell ya, its worth it! I recently found an Hermes belt buckle (and yes it is real) for only a few bucks. I have also found a Christian Dior belt, many incredible clutches, huge chunky rings, and most favorite recent find would be an Oscar de la Renta tuxedo jacket – incredible! It takes any old outfit and jazzes it up. Oh yea… and it was $6.
One of her many thifting finds.
After being on Southern Belles and admired for your look, do you feel pressure to always have a great outfit put together and look great?
Right after the show I would get recognized quite a bit and would avoid looking gnarly… I didn’t have chipped nails or go without contacts or wear a hoodie or go without makeup for probably 6 months after the show. Now that is not the case!
I am human – my hair does get greasy, my nail polish does chip, my lips do get chapped and yes, I get pimples. You will see me at the grocery in PJ pants on the rare occasion or wearing my glasses on a weekend. In fact, I do not wear makeup to work and my hair is usually in a bun.
I do like to look nice though, don’t get me wrong. I love to dress up and putting together outfits is fun every morning! In fact, one of my co-workers says that she looks forward to seeing what I will walk into the office wearing every day. I like to take risks – even in a professional setting! I always like and feel comfortable in what I am wearing – style should be a reflection of you and even though my nails might be chipped, my outfit will always be killer.
What are some of your favorite local stores?
Some of my favorite local stores include Dot Fox on Bardstown Road, Discoveries, Acorn, and The Nitty Gritty. All four of these stores carry unique items and every time I visit I see new things. Dot Fox has incredibly fun dresses and tops that you will not see in a mall. Discoveries has jewelry that I refer to as ‘statement pieces.’ I have a few necklaces from there that are outfits all on there own – stick it on with skinny jean and a white top and viola – a fab fit. Acorn and The Nitty Gritty are both vintage shops that never disappoint.
What’s your favorite shopping destination?
Dallas, Texas! They say that everything is bigger in Texas – and that includes the stores. I have only visited a handful of times but wow… the shopping is insane! Between Neiman Marcus and all the boutiques, you are sure to find exactly what you want. I love Dallas, but my wallet is glad I don’t live there! The shopping is amazing but can be incredibly expensive. During my last visit I hit up some consignment stores and thrift stores… no joke when I tell you that they had Jimmy Choos and Louis Vuitton. Can you imagine? I would compare it to heaven.
You have a great blog, can you tell me a little about how you decided to start it?
Thanks! After the show I had people emailing and facebook messaging me all the time about what makeup I was wearing or where I bought a certain outfit. I decided to publicly share the love and start a blog! This way I could tell people everything about my life – fashion, beauty, shopping and whatever else I am loving at the moment! I am grateful that it has been received with open arms. It has become a passion of mine and I hope to keep it up!
She sounds super rad! Can’t wait to see pics from your shopping adventure 😉
XX,
Miranda