"I don't rely on mirrors, so I always take polaroids."

Buying stuff for a buck can be difficult sometimes. You can't try things on at the swap meet. You can't return them. You can't exchange them if they don't fall in nicely with the rest of your wardrobe. Sometimes, you just have to eat a loss - and that's fine, as a couple of dollars is an acceptable loss. Still, no one likes to lose money, so it sets my mind a little more at ease about things if I make a true, concerted effort to incorporate an item before I say goodbye.

Take, for example, this vintage, faux Missoni top (Yes, folks have been knocking off Missoni since before I was born!), which I'd bought months ago but couldn't figure out how to style. I thought I'd give it a shot last night, and this is the first outfit I came up with:

Ann Taylor Jacket, $1 - Mock Missoni Top, $1 - Patent Belt, $1 - J. Crew Cords, $40? at J. Crew Outlet - Pumps, $40 at Ross - Makowsky Bag, even exchange after reselling my previous green bag.

Ok, aside from my horribly flat, lifeless hairdo here, as soon as I saw this picture, I knew I wasn't thrilled. That's the jacket I usually wear with dresses, so it's too cropped for these pants. I also don't feel good with the top buttoned up all the way. And there's just too much black going on. If I had worn this out to work, I would have caught site of myself in the mirror at lunch, cringed, and dumped my poor Mock Missoni into the donate pile as soon as I arrived home.

Cher was right; cameras are much more reliable tools than mirrors. The camera helped me edit and re-edit this outfit until I was happy to keep my top.

Same outfit as above, but with a $3 necklace in an attempt to lower neckline.

Same outfit as original, but with shirt collar unbuttoned.

Swapped in: Tweedy Jacket, $1 - Carlos Santana Pumps, $40 at Ross - Cettu Bag, $10 at Swap Meet - Boys Over Flowers Star Necklace (replica of the necklace from one of my favorite Korean Dramas!), $4 off Ebay

Same outfit as above, but with hair down - much better!

These are the two outfits I was finally happy with - I would wear the un-tucked version on Fridays, and I plan to wear the tucked-and-belted version today:

Same outfit as above, but with original bag.

Same outfit as above, but with shirt tucked in and $2 belt added.

See, it wasn't poor Mock Missoni's fault the outfit wasn't working - it was mine! I had it buttoned totally wrong, and I had it paired with too many dark colors.

Thank you for saving this fun top, Mr. Camera. You can never die, okay? Okay. It's a deal. No take-backs.

Outfit Spam!

F21 Blazer, $1 - Joseph Skirt, $1 - BR top, $1 - Target pumps, $2.50 - Abro Bag, $30 ($15 plus $24 for dye) - necklace, $1

BR Pindot Top, $1 - Sweater Vest, $1 - Loafers, free (trade + leftover dye) - J. Crew Cords, $30 via Ebay - L'Incontro Bag, $22 ($10 + $12 for dye)

Ann Taylor Top, $1 - McGuinn Skirt, $1 - sheer tights, $1 - Necklace, $3 - Pumps, $40 - Blazer, $12 (half of $24 suit)

Ann Taylor Jacket, $1 - BR Harrison Pants, $1 - Loafers, swap party - Coach purse, swap party - Farinaz Top, $1 - necklace, swap party

Thrifting the Trends: Fall 2011

Although the weather forecast in LA is still pretty toasty, there is no time like the present to keep your eyes peeled for the upcoming Fall/Winter looks! It may take a while to dig the right items out of your local secondhand stores, but the good news is that it is possible. :)

Badass Plaid

Elle.com says plaid is back! However, when I first asked my YLF forum buddies if I should keep this skirt, some felt that it looked like a holiday item - Christmas Party use only. Still, others liked the fit and length, so I decided to keep it around and play with it. To combat the holiday vibe, I tried to keep the rest of the pieces un-festive. It was too hot when I took this picture, but I'd also add tights and boots.

Red Plaid Pencil Skirt, $1

 Ladylike Polka Dots

Can't get away from polka dots this season - but why try? This teal polka dot dress is a little boxy in the bust area, but a tailored blazer fixes that nicely and makes it winter appropriate. Again, tights will be making an appearance come Summer's end. Photo collage from Runway Daily.

Dotty Dress, $1 - with Black Tweed Blazer, $1

 Digital Prints

Ok, this one might get filed under "wishful thinking," but digital prints juuuust might trickle down to us mortals... eventually. I don't see the look on any official trend lists, but I have seen a good amount popping up on boutiques.com, a couple Christopher-Kane-esque animal prints at F21 and H&M, a couple abstract prints at ASOS, and tons of various prints at AllSaints. If digitals are set to hit mainstream soon, you can be fashion forward by wearing them now. ;)

Digital Print Floral Top, $1

Digital Print Dress - $1

I really like this dress and love digital prints in general. Shown with a $2 crossbody bag.

Leather Skirts


This is one trend I'd typically pass over based on expense. Hemlines have fallen, so all the 80s leather mini skirts floating about will not do - but lo and behold, a ladylike leather midi crossed my path at the swap meet, and I snapped it up before I knew what was happening. I will never doubt the powers of resale again...

Leather Midi, $1

Shown with Python Print Pumps, $2.50 - Python is also big this season.

 Trends are pretty much always recycled so, if you keep your eyes peeled, you can find almost anything secondhand. The key is to keep in mind color and silhouette as well as the general trend (e.g. "edgy" plaids instead of preppy ones or leather "midis" instead of minis). Now let's all go out and refresh our wardrobes with old clothing! ;)

DIY Review: Tarrago Leather Dye Bright Red 102

I already wrote about my experiences with Tarrago Leather Dye here, but I felt another review was needed, since things went slightly differently this time around.

I bought this cute little Abro handbag for $15 (near $500 retail) at a swap meet in Saugus. I had no idea at the time, but Abro is a German company which makes really fabulous and current-looking bags, shoes, belts, and wallets. The one I spotted was a bit worse for wear, with the color faded and uneven - but in the end, the bag lover in me couldn't let the buttery-soft leather remain discolored and un-restored.

 My super-helpful internet friends at You Look Fab helped me decide on a bright tomato red for this bag, so I ended up ordering Tarrago's Bright Red dye. Recommendations had previously suggested way too much dye (3 bottles for boots when I only used 1/2 a bottle - and 2 bottles for a handbag when I only used 1), so this time I only bought a single bottle.

Check out the bag after a single coat of dye - my spidey sense was already telling me that I would run out of dye before the project was complete.

True to my fears, after 2.5 coats of dye, I still had not achieved bottle color. I suspect that the very high contrast between the pale blue and red colors - plus the fact that this bag sports more straps, flaps, and pockets - accounts for the disparity.

In the end, I was happy with the color after about 1.5 bottles of dye.

Seeing as how that left me with 1/2 bottle extra, I attacked a pair of black leather loafers that, while still cute, looked a little worse for wear and brought me up to an unnecessary amount of black footwear.

I don't know if it's because the shoe leather had been treated to be more durable than the bags or what, but the dye didn't cover as well as it had on my other projects. Even after about 6 coats, the shoes were not a perfectly solid red. If I could do it again, I might try stripping the leather with acetone or bleach before applying the dye. Maybe next time!

Still, the texture is kind of cool, and it's hardly noticeable at all when you look down at them from eye level. Plus, I scored a few compliments on these babies at work!

DIY Review: Jaquard iDye Natural Fiber Dye in Chartreuse

I love utility jackets! I mean, like, really. I'd wear them every day if I could. They're only second to boots as my favorite makes-me-feel-like-I-can-hack-anything clothing articles. This one was a steal on Ebay... alas, that was probably due to the baby chickadee yellow color, which is so not badass and also makes my skin look gray. Eew.
Not to worry - I'm obsessed with dye! At first, I wanted to use one of the dyes I'd already had success with, but I wanted to either dye this jacket olive or citron, and the brands I'd used previously didn't come in those shades, and I have big reservations about mixing my own colors. Enter: Jaquard iDye in chartreuse, which looked close enough to citron for me. Sour, yellow-green? Done. I also like that Jaquard offers special dyes formulated for polyester (but that's a whole 'nother post). Bonus? Since I don't have to mix colors, I only have to buy ONE packet of dye - savings, ahoy!

The directions are pretty standard: stove top method for vibrant color, enough water for the garment to move freely. However, I quickly deduced that my largest pot would not hold enough fabric and water to allow the jacket to move freely. D'oh.





Here's what I did to approximate the suggested conditions:

I filled my pot to the top with hot water from the tap, added the required salt and dye packet, then left the pot on the burner until it was just about to boil. I wet my jacket through with hot water from the tap.

When the water looked hot enough (steaming furiously, with bubbling sounds emanating from the bottom of the pot, near the heat source), I poured the dye bath into a plastic bin normally used when I wash my car at home (read: once a decade). I introduced my wet jacket to the dye bath, spreading the cloth out evenly.

The jacket's position was rotated constantly for 20 minutes, then once every 15 minutes for the next 45 minutes. Between rotations, I weighted down the fabric as much as possible to try and keep most of it in the dye at all times.

The instructions then said to wash with mild detergent. I live in an apartment with shared washing machines, so I was super scared of washing the jacket in there and ruining someone's clothes. Instead I washed in my tub with a finger of my usual detergent Finally, I wrung out and hung up the jacket to dry, making sure that the shoulder seams lined up to the edge of the hanger, as I didn't want the hanger to stretch out the jacket and distort its shape. That's what the pant hanger is all about: it's clamping the fabric in place so the seams don't slide down.

The Results:

• The color is super vibrant, even though the dye bath was not constantly heated throughout the process - yeah!
• The color did not take as well on the thick seaming of the jacket. I have no idea why. It doesn't bother me - in fact, I pretty much love the effect - but it's good to note for the future.
• There are a couple small spots where the color turned out a bit blotchy. From the looks of it, I think extra dye must have settled there while the jacket was hanging to dry. It's possible that machine washing the excess dye out would have prevented this. Luckily, it's a very minor amount and not very noticeable on my rugged-to-begin-with jacket. 

One Dollar Revelation: 99 Cents Only Hosiery

Want to know a secret? Yesterday, I wore Queen size hose from the dollar store -- not my recommended size according to the sizing chart, but they fit just fine anyway. Yes, the waistband came up all the way to my armpits, but some people pay darn good money for high-rise tights these days. Seeing as how most stores want $7-$10 for an item that usually runs on me in a handful of wears, I'll take the plus-size option for a buck any day!

Retail Review: Shoebuy.com & Dr. Martens Marcie Wedge Boots

One of my favorite things? Credit card rewards! I know the hardcore-prudent thing to do would be to take cash back -- but seriously, I have an addiction sickness hobby to fund. :)

I noticed that a round of credit card rewards were set to expire soon, so I decided to use them to acquire these Dr. Martens Marcie boots. A twist on an old favorite, the Marcie combines a classic combat boot upper with a platform wedge heel that makes my stubby legs and flat-sole-averse arches sit up and take notice. Yes, please!

The Shoebuy Experience

• Order Placement Process: Excellent. They offer a bajillion payment options, and there were no freakish hoops or fetish props to jump through to place my order.
• Product Details: Average. The heel height listed ended up being a half inch shorter than the actual height... I suppose they might have arrived at their measurement by subtracting the platform, but it would have been nice to know that (if it were indeed the case); Some of us like to know whether we will end up taller than our boyfriends or sporting highwater jeans if we wear those shoes. Also, no calf/ankle circumference information was included.
• Pricing: Excellent. Whatever sale shoebuy was having at the time priced my boots at a full $30 cheaper than I saw them anywhere else. And they don't charge sales tax. And they offer a 100% price guarantee. I believe the term I'm looking for is booya.
• Shipping/Packaging: Excellent. Free, fast, accurately-tracked shipping in a discreet box covered in tape that reminds you to check for defects and damage before accepting the product.
• Return/Exchange Process: Excellent. Free returns, free return shipping, easy return tracking, and a convenient pre-paid label included in my box. They use an online form for return explanations instead of making you interpret weird "exchange codes" on the back of your packing slip. I took the site's advice for a speedy exchange and simply returned the larger size while placing an new order for the smaller, which did result in a speedily-recieved replacement - the only downside is that the boots were not the exact same price as before. I thought about calling customer service to inquire about a match, but it was small enough a difference that the CC rewards still totally covered the price (difference was about $5).
• Overall: TOTALLY EXCELLENT. I'm very impressed with the price, speed, and service. Very much like I remember ordering from Zappos, but I remember Zappos as always having higher prices - and Zappos didn't carry these particular boots. Shoebuy has officially replaced Amazon as my #1 shoe site due to their price matching and free shipping. :)

The Marcie Wedge Boot Experience

• Fit: based on what the Dr. Martens size chart says, these felt a 1/2 size too big... and they only come in whole sizes, so if you're on the border of two sizes like me, go for the smaller option. I initally ordered the 9 instead of my usual 8.5 and ended up swimming in them.
• Quality: Just what you'd expect from Dr. Martens: sturdy & well-made, so you feel like you can really kick some butt in these boots. :)
• Comfort: WOW. Possibly the most comfortable boots I've had. I've walked for miles in these and had none of the dreaded arch pain or muscle cramps that have plagued me in my GI combat boots. Lovelovelovelovelove!

All in all, this has been one of the best online shopping experiences I've ever had. No hemming and hawing over whether or not to try another size. No agonizing over the price until my desired item has sold out. Nothing but pure shoe bliss. :)

Plus, the cat seems to like 'em. >^..^<