Posts Tagged ‘fashion’

Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2012 is Tangerine Tango. (Yep, that’s it above as RGB numbers 226, 73, 47.) It’s not quite as orange-y as I expected, which I rather like. Will you be using this color in your home decor or wardrobe? What colors will you pair it with?

A custom-made winter coat, served up in cashmere and ruffles? Yes please!

These beauties are all made by ArtNeedFeel, an Etsy shop in China.

Sometimes the pricing on Amazon items cracks me up. Like this pair of socks, which is priced at $1400! (Apparently this was typo, as it’s now been updated to $14.00.)

At least they qualify for free shipping!

 

As I’ve been thinking about what to pack for Relevant ’11, I thought I’d put together a list of ideas for creating outfits inexpensively, even if your tastes draw you towards designer jewelry or fashionable shoulder bags.

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1. Shop thrift stores. This is where the majority of my clothing comes from. Shopping at thrift stores doesn’t mean you have to look like you’re wearing hand-me-downs. I have Anne Klein boots, Charlotte Russe dresses, Geoffrey Beene and Eddie Bauer jeans, GAP skirts, and more that I’ve purchased from thrift stores for just a fraction of their original cost.

2. Check eBay. If you’re willing to wait a season for that dress you love, go ahead and set-up an eBay watch. You’ll get e-mail alerts whenever someone posts something that matches your parameters.

3. Hold a clothing swap. If you have several friends who are roughly the same size, plan a clothing swap. Each lady will go through her own closet and pull out all the items she never wears. Once you’re all together, have fun “shopping” through each other’s clothes. You’ll clear out your closets, have a great time together, and go home with something new to you that didn’t cost a penny!

4. Scour the clearance racks. Big department stores like Macy’s and JCPenney’s typically have huge clearance racks. It takes some work to go through them, as they’re usually not organized very well, but all that hunting can definitely pay off. Pair your clearance finds with a coupon and you’ve got the potential for some amazing deals!

5. Be a savvy online shopper. If you really love the designer fashions, sign up for daily deals sites that specialize in boutiques. And, regardless of where you shop online, always check for coupons and cash back offers through third-party sites before making your purchases. Sometimes the companies will send out exclusive deals to people who are on their mailing lists, so make sure you sign up for e-mails from the places where you like to shop.

 

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6. Don’t discount the discount stores. TJMaxx, Marshalls, Ross – they all sell designer apparel at less-than-designer costs. Of course, if those prices are still a little steep for your checkbook,  like they are for mine, you can always go in and look only at the clearance racks. Just go in with an open mind toward what you might find – I’ve stumbled across some fabulous deals. (My favorite discovery was a pair of bright red sandals with a small heel. I wear them all the time and people always stop me to exclaim over them.)

 7. Evaluate your closet. Try mixing and matching your clothes in new combinations. Some of them will make you laugh (or cringe!), but you may find a “new” outfit or two just by trying out some different ideas, or simply adding new accessories. Do you really need a sixth blue shirt or another pair of pink sneakers?  Do you have a skirt that’s been hanging in your closet for two years that needs a complementary top? Write it down and put that note into your purse. Keep a list with you so that when you’re shopping and you come across the perfect sweater, you’ll know if it will complete a partial outfit in your closet, create a new one, or if it will just mean you also need to find a new pair of shoes and another pair of pants.

 

Here’s a short, simple fashion quiz to take just for fun. According to this, my style is classic, which was not a big surprise. Supposedly my style fantasy is to find a Chanel jacket at Goodwill. Quite honestly, my only acquaintance with Chanel is my mother’s Chanel No. 5 perfume.  However, I was thrilled to find a Charlotte Russe dress at Goodwill about a month ago.

Which leads me to a new feature I’m going to start here this week. Thrift Store Thursday. I’ll be highlighting bargains I’ve found at thrift stores, either to use as-is, or to makeover.

If you take the MyStyle quiz, be sure to come back and let me know what style you got!

This collection of Etsy finds is filled with peach ruffles – evoking a sense of femininity and romanticism. Too bad I look sickly in anything peach (like the absolutely beautiful lace tunic in this collection).

• Ruffled Rose Flower Necklace from A Pocket Full of Posies
• Poppy Dress Greeting Card from lrsteiner
• Vintage Peach Sorbet pillow cover by The Home Centric
• Peach Lace Tunic by Lirola
• Ruffled Coral Chiffon Shoe Clips by Fink Shop
• Ruffled Crepe Paper Garland from The Gilded Bee
• Cotton Voile Ruffled Pleated Top by Prizy Sebastian
• Speckled English Rose fine art print by Candace Rose Photography

My computer is back, which means so is The Sunday List!

• Take a peek at this gorgeous pâtisserie-inspired table shoot. This would be fabulous for a bridal shower, baby shower, or a ladies’ tea.
• While we’re on the subject of tea, here’s a quick tutorial for making your own sugar “cubes.”
• This zippered case tutorial is very easy to follow, and the case would be perfect for a variety of things, from carrying your cash to your makeup, or your child’s school supplies.  It looks like a great project for homemade Christmas presents!
• Mmmmm. These bacon-wrapped potato chunks look tasty. I think they’d taste delicious dipped in ranch dressing, but you may want to try the hot sauce and sour cream combination described in the recipe.
• Marisa at A New Dress a Day took on the challenge of transforming a thrifted piece of clothing into something new to wear – every single day for a year, with just a $1/day budget. Not everything she designs is to my taste, but she does this in the morning before she leaves for work and her creativity is inspiring! Here are some of my favorites: Day 212, Day 253,  and Day 291.

The photo of the week:

{Photo copyright Uwe Hermann}