Scenes from Pirate Weekend!

Renaissance Faires are great places to see unusual fashion. My boyfriend and I went to the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire twice this summer. We ate large haunches of meat and we are not ashamed.

Here are some highlights:



Two lovely girls with pretty hair!



Falconry.





Crazy synth-goth boots. They were very alarmed and confused when I asked if I could photograph them for this blog, but they were just crazy enough to let some weird girl take pictures of their shoes for what they could only hope was a real blog. I just love ridiculous shoes. Is that so wrong?!



Jolly minstrels.

And, me and some friends:



I am wearing some mildly pirate-y garb -- a silk red and black striped blouse with a black denim 90s vest with leather trim, both thrifted from Goodwill. Stay tuned for a post with my haul of goodies, which includes a poison stash necklace. The merchant suggested that it might also store that which Eric Clapton so famously sung about. I prefer poison!

I love shopping at weird festivals like this. I always find such unusual items, like a teeny tiny white leather satchel. At our RenFaire, there are vendors who make custom leather boots, corsets, blades, glassblowers, and even people selling animal bones.

I'd love to see photos that you guys have of your experiences with Renaissance Faires. Do you dress up? Comment!

Related articles

• The Ren Faire (theradula.blogspot.com)


• 33 Absurd Things I Learned At The New York Renaissance Faire (thegloss.com)


• Opening Day of the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire (sherriepalmer.wordpress.com)


• Wolfwhistle Leather Braced Filigree Belt: Love It or Hate It? (fabsugar.com)

It ain't cheap, it's chic!

“Never use the word “cheap”. Today everybody can look chic in inexpensive clothes (the rich buy them too). There is good clothing design on every level today. You can be the chicest thing in the world in a T-shirt and jeans — it’s up to you.”

-- Karl Lagerfeld (Chanel Designer)

Stumbled across this quote on tumblr. Clothes are just clothes -- it's YOU that makes them great.

Are thrift stores getting too pricey?

[caption id="attachment_985" align="alignnone" width="640"] Items for sale in my etsy store![/caption]

It has been quite awhile since I last visited Goodwill, so I thought I'd make the trip this evening. I got some really amazing finds this time, and I am really excited to get it all cleaned up and ready to photograph for you all. (Though they were great finds, they need some serious TLC -- including dry cleaning.)

But... something is bothering me. Every time I visit Goodwill, I see the prices go up and up. Intellectually, I understand that stores like Goodwill and Salvation Army bolster valuable charity programs. That's awesome! However, these stores are selling used goods, often in need of dry cleaning, laundering, and sometimes repairs. Today I saw six fall and winter jackets that were priced at $50. That's essentially retail price. Sure, they might be real leather, or "vintage," but that doesn't mean they're worth the price of a brand new jacket. Many of these coats had dirt, stains, and tears on them. This is absolutely ridiculous. Just because an item is made of leather doesn't mean its worth the price of a new garment. Just because an item is old enough to qualify as vintage does not mean it is worth the price that a curated vintage boutique would charge. Vintage shops sell items for higher prices because the items are still chic and fashionable and still in a wearable condition. No one is going to buy those jackets. They were in cuts and designs that are not translatable to today's fashion, and they were stinky and in very used shape. Shouldn't the price reflect that? Is Goodwill getting greedy? Who is determining these prices? These are all DONATED ITEMS. $50 is just too much.

Intellectually, I understand that stores like Goodwill and Salvation Army bolster valuable charity programs. That's awesome! However, these stores are selling used goods, often in need of dry cleaning, laundering, and sometimes repairs. I am forced to wonder if they realize that it's not just the people on the receiving end of the charity efforts who stand to gain from these types of thrift stores -- there are a lot of people who do all their clothing shopping at second-hand stores because of low income. A lot of families cannot afford to buy retail, and stores like Goodwill offer them a chance to shop for a variety of styles, brands, and seasons that would not be available to them otherwise. They get a chance to have some say in their personal style because of the variety second-hand shops offer.

How do you feel about this issue? Personally, if I want something bad enough, I will buy it anyway. The fact that part of the sales go to charity makes that easier, but now that they're upping the prices on more mundane and generic items as well, I am disheartened. Is the art of the thrift store hunt in danger? Let me know what you think with a comment. Click the text bubble next to this entry's title to chime in.

More Eyeball Jewelry: Eyeball Ear Cuff

 



I am eyeball obsessed these days. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I work for an optometrist? And for some crazy reason, eyeballs are all the rage right now. I found this rad ear cuff on eBay. Seriously, people, eBay is the new frontier for fashionistas. There is a lot of crap to dig through, but you can find some real fashion gems on eBay. I got mine from this seller for $1.49.

About a week ago, I got this lovely bracelet in the mail, also from ebay:



 

The next piece I need is an eyeball ring, which I am in the process of making, once I get the ring bases in the mail. Thanks eBay!

 

 

Small End of Summer Yard Sale Haul and Yard Sale Tips

 



 







 

Went to a few yard sales today with my grandma, who has recently started her own etsy shop. I haven't had much luck at finding good stuff at yard sales this summer, but today my luck changed.

I found an awesome old bag that I assume was for a camera. It's real leather, but the strap is very dried out and it's cracking, so I will probably have to replace it. The best part -- it was free! Then I found a wicker handbag at a Mennonite garage sale for $0.50. Not too shabby. At one garage sale, I found a neat bag of old Halloween decorations, which had these two blinking buttons that you see pictured above. Not pictured, I found three pairs of vintage earrings that need some TLC, 90s Tupperware brooches (I know, weird), and an old advertising yard stick for my workspace/craft room. (Oh, yeah, I made myself a work space that I will have to share with you guys. It's furnished completely with second-hand awesome-ness, including a mid-century TV stand I found on the curb and carried home.)

Yard Sale Tips

1. Here's a good tip I learned from my grandma -- a lot of yard sales start on Thursdays, so it's the best time to get the good stuff. Antiques dealers and vintage hunters get their early for the best stuff. They're your competition!

2. Late Saturday afternoon is the best time to get cheap prices, because sellers are ready to throw in the towel. They are probably more willing to negotiate, and start throwing items to the curb, free to anyone who wants them. Being late has its advantages!

3. Check the free boxes! That is where I find the weirdest, coolest stuff. I found that cowhide bag in a free box. Once, I found an 1800s Bible that sold on eBay for $60. So, you just never know! Just be shameless and raid those boxes! Remember, they want that stuff gone.

4. An effective  haggling maneuver at yard sales is bundling. If a seller has items marked higher than what you'd feel comfortable paying, suggest a single price for multiple items. Take them to the seller and ask, "Would you take $5 for all of this?" and insert your offer as you see fit. The seller feels like they are getting more money and you get more for your buck.

5. Try to see the potential in an item, while still being realistic. For example, today I saw an awesome black wool coat that looked like it was from the 40s at a garage sale. It was marked $5. I thought about haggling, but I smelled it, and it smelled like mildew. Mildew is a difficult thing to get rid of, and in the end it was going to cost me too much, so I decided to pass.

6.To build on the last point,  use all of your senses to help you make the right choice. Be realistic about whether you will give an item the TLC it needs. I have a lot of stuff sitting around that I said I'd fix up, but haven't. Don't be like me!

Good luck with your yard sales while the weather permits!

 

DIY Skeleton Hand Collartips

 

Took some leftover skeleton hands from crafts of years past, glued lapel pins to them and attached a chain. So easy, it's stupid. Saw the idea on tumblr. By the way, why don't you check out Thrifty Cent's tumblr?