New shoes from TJMaxx

I need some new heeled shoes for work, so I picked these up at my local TJMaxx, a discount clothing store, for $34.99, a bit more than I usually pay for shoes. They normally would have retailed for a higher price in a normal store.

In some cases, you get what you pay for, and cheap shoes just don't last.  At an event for one of my work-study jobs in college, one of my shoes broke, so I was stuck wearing my snow boots for the entire evening. The shoes were $15 from K-mart. Live and learn, right?

They remind me of these shoes I have been seeing on Japanese and Chinese fashion blogs:



 

Thanks for reading, thrifters!

Three Reasons Why You Should Give the Peplum Skirt a Chance

1. Instantly creates an hourglass figure.

• If you have broad shoulders, a peplum dress or skirt will balance you out.


• For those who have a little extra love in the tummy area (like me) it will help give back that hourglass figure by contrasting your waistline.


• If you have a slender frame (or even just a straighter frame), this will enhance your curves.

And the people does all of this without making your legs look bulky, because the skirt itself is typically fitted. Otherwise, it's just a ruffle. Peplum elitism here, folks.

2. Adds playfulness and femininity to an otherwise stuffy ensemble.



If it weren't for the peplum effect of the blazer, this look would be quite serious and a little too matronly for a woman of Kate Middleton's age. It also adds curves to her slender body.

3. It's readily available in thrift stores!



The peplum has been around long before the 1980s! It's the modern way to wear a bustle, representing a stark contrast to the loose-fitting garments of the 1920s and 30s.

Thanks for reading, thrifters!

Thrifting Haul - Spring Inspired

So I haven't been doing as much thrifting and yard sale hopping as I'd like to (dumb full-time job work schedule -- curse you!), but although they are few and far between, I have found some real gems.

Find #1:



I picked up this cute little needlepoint shoulder bag for $3.50. I reminds me of the old-fashioned needlepoint handbags (like this) but with a more rustic pattern. I don't think it is vintage, in fact it seems quite new. But, hey, at $3.50, I'm down with that.

Find #2:



I also found this cute watermelon-esque polka-dot scarf for $1.  It needs pressed, but I think this will help me add some color to my work outfits. I tend to slide into either too much black or too much beige at work.

Find #3:



I am totally enamoured with this high contrast 90s Gitino cross-body. $2 from a church thrift store in the next town over.

Find #4:



This poor bag is a little worse for wear, but I still love it. It's a 1960s pillbox handbag from an awesome vintage boutique in Harrisburg called the Atomic Warehouse. The owner gave me a good deal on it: $10! I have seen these only a handful of times, and usually priced at $30 to $60!

Find #5:



This skirt has side pockets and buttons up the front. I found this for $3.50. Not sure if this will become part of my skirt collection or if it will end up on etsy. I need to give it a test run. I have an outfit concept in mind, but I am not sure if I'll be venturing too far on the granny side. I was inspired by this:



 

Don't worry, there's plenty more to share! Stay tuned, thrifters.

 

Related articles

• My Favorite Thrifted Accessories (dressresponsiblysj.wordpress.com)

Win Nasty Gal for life! Nasty Gal Hosting a $10,000 gift card giveaway!

Hey, I'm in!

Enter at Nasty Gal's website, nastygal.com. The clothing and accessories for sale at Nasty Gal are super rad, but also super expensive. Wouldn't it be amazing to have $10,000 of pure mad money to spend shamelessly on your wardrobe?

This is not a sponsored post! I am just really jazzed about such a crazy giveaway and wanted to share a chance to win with my readers.

What is this Glossybox thing, anyway?

The beauty corner of YouTube has been inundated with reviews and unboxing videos of something called Glossybox. You may recall a little while back I reviewed JustFab.com, a shoe subscription service -- well, it seems a lot like that.



Glossybox is a worldwide company, but is just now coming to America. In order to raise some hype, they've sent boxes free of charge to a whole lotta Youtube beauty vloggers, not just the big name gurus. This shows a transition in the way fashion and beauty products are marketed to young consumers. While we may still covet our issues of Vogue, we are spending more time browsing Youtube, blogs, Chictopia.com, and Lookbook.nu than magazines for fashion and beauty "inspiration." I mean, these days you can even watch people unbox new shoes on Youtube with a detailed review -- times are a-changing, people! (Which is sad for all of us who hoped to be magazine editors.) Lots of companies are offering free products in exchange for blog updates and vlogs.

Let's take a look at my favorite Youtube fashion/beauty/paranormal blogger, Grav3yardgirl, as she opens her free Glossybox:



From what I gather, you pay $21 each month for one monthly box filled with five different travel size beauty products (a nice way to dress up what seems like samples to me) curated by "beauty experts." I am not sure if you can skip months or not, like you can with JustFab and ShoeDazzle. They are packaged very nicely, and some of the products actually are full size, like OPI nail polish. The company promises that all the brands are high end or luxury. So, is it really worth the $21 per month?  That's $252 per year, and as grav3yardgirl says, that's potential shoe money. Perhaps the added retail cost of all the contexts is enough to draw you in. I definitely want to see more.

The whole thing is still in the "beta" stages for America, but I am intrigued. Their marketing tactic has certainly succeeded in creating a lot of buzz.

Related articles

• Birchbox Addicts Beware: Glossybox and Total Beauty Collection Launch (eye4style.com)


• GLOSSYBOX USA Is Here! (style-love-repeat.com)

Alexander McQueen: Into the Woods

This month, Sarah Burton (who took over as designer after Alexander McQueen's passing) threw a fashion show in McQueen's native London for the Fall 2012 McQ line as a celebration for the launch of a new store location. She has been able to maintain the McQueeny-ness of the late designers aesthetic while still creating original and exciting new pieces. The McQ line is tailored to a more everyday look. This collection has earthy, woodsy colors (browns, forest greens, deep autumn reds) but there's nothing bland about it. It really feels like fall. Nothing too vibrant. Enjoy!

{Photos via Vogue.com}

Whitney Houston has passed away. Let's remember the good times...

Love the big hair!

Review of online shoe / accessory store JustFab.com

Tempted by those commercials of women admiring shoes on the internet at work, I decided to take a look at JustFab.com for myself. I wasn't really planning on buying anything, but when I saw a one day only deal for 50% off my first purchase of shoes I frantically searched for an acceptable pair.

So, I thought I'd pass my experience on to those curious about this store.

Pros:

1. You will always get a discount (of some kind) on your first order -- at least 20% but I was lucky enough to get 50% off.

2. Shipping (except expedited) is always free.

3. Exchanges are free. They pay the shipping for exchanging.

3. Nothing on the site is over $39.95.

4. They predict what types of shoes and other accessories you might like.

5. With every purchase you make you earn points which can eventually be redeemed for free shoes.

Cons:

1. Nothing is under $39.95. Every single thing is the same price, like Dollar Tree. Some things -- like the jewelry are not worth the price. Now, to be fair, sometimes they do have deals going on, like select styles being two for the price of one.

2. When you sign up, you take a style personality quiz, but it isn't really in-depth enough to capture your personal taste. It just forces you to pick your favorite out of a number of lukewarm items and celebrities. In my case, almost every question's choices were all unappealing to me, so the "stylist hand-picked" shoes in my personal boutique weren't really things I liked.

3. When you make your first purchase, you become a "VIP" member, which basically means that unless you opt out each month by the 5th day, they will charge you $39.95 and send you more shoes. You cannot opt out of this "VIP" thing unless you cancel your account altogether. However, you can decline each month by clicking "SKIP THIS MONTH" on the homepage, but again, this be done by the 5th of each month.

4. Browsing their items is tiresome. You cannot simply type in a keyword and search for what you want unless you know the specific name of the shoe or accessory. You can't see all of their shoes at any given time. I am not sure why this is. What the "stylists" chose for me was pretty limited, and didn't really reflect my style.

Here's what I settled on:



They send them in sturdy packaging, and they ship quickly. I ordered on a Tuesday night and had my shoes by Saturday. They come in their own shoe box just like shoes from a real store. My pair has creases around the ankles as if someone wore them already. Maybe they were returned? It's not a huge problem, but it makes me think that they were made very, very cheaply. They feel kind of cheap. I will definitely need to put insoles in them as there is no padding for the balls of my feet, which is the part that you put a lot of your weight on when wearing heels.

All in all, the shopping experience wasn't ideal for me. A lot of the shoes I really loved were out of stock. I would rather not see them at all if I can't actually buy them. I like to search directly with keywords to find what I am looking for, not hunt and click through pages and pages looking for something to pique my interest. I really dislike that you have to remember to log on every month and opt out unless you want to buy shoes. The site would be better if you could just buy what you wanted, when you wanted, without all that hassle. Seems to me that they just want you to forget so they can charge you another $39.95.

Shortly after getting my shoes, I joined ShoeDazzle.com out of curiosity. They have a more stylish selection of shoes, but other than that, it's basically the same store. I will try them next. They have Jeffrey Campbell "Lita" lookalikes, but you have to get on a waiting list because they've already sold out!

Critique of Kat Von D Los Angeles Spring / Summer 2012 Collection "Treasure Coast"

The fashion world was pleasantly surprised when Kat Von D unveiled her first wave of Fall 2011 designs last year. No one seemed to suspect just how chic it would all be. (I, of course, knew it all along. Ahem.) Kat offers her "Red Label" collection as a cheaper alternative to the more elegant (translation: high priced) "White Label" collection. As I began to peruse the lookbook for the Spring/Summer collection "Treasure Coast," my expectations were high.

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="479" caption="As seen with this baroque jacket inspired by Beethoven, Napoleon, and other strong-shouldered icons of days gone by, Kat's first collection expressed a love of the darkly romantic. Gothic but elegant. Edgy but still refined. I loved every bit."][/caption]

As a die-hard Kat lover, this is painful for me to concede, but... I'm disappointed. Kat has said that she wanted this collection to appeal to a wider audience, and thus the aesthetic has been (drastically) toned down. So much that for me, the clothing has little appeal.

Granted, there are still looks that exude Kat Von D-ness. As the collections name would suggest, it appears that Kat and her design consultants wanted a pirate-slash-maritime theme.  My favorites from the lookbook are as follows:

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="396" caption="I love this tunic. She's called it a sweater, but it clearly ain't gonna keep you warm. I like the thin gauziness of the fabric, and the circular cutouts that represent the black spot, the symbol of mutiny from legend and pirate movies alike."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="396" caption="This jacket is a cleaned up version of the tattered shirts and wind worn jackets of pop culture pirates. This could have been tacky, but instead it's glorious. It has a dark, sharp feel to it that I love."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="395" caption="I love both the top and the skirt. While we've seen similar designs in the past skirt-wise, it seems like a workable piece to add to one's closet. I have a maxi skirt in the exact same tie-dye bleached fabric. Perhaps not office appropriate, but it's a rad skirt to wear day or night with a pair of combat boots and sheer black pantyhose. The top is an ode to the pirate wench with an Asian spin. Love it. Looks like a denim type fabric. It would look great layered over a chiffon peasant top or button up."][/caption]

That said, some (or most) of the looks are drab and kind of tacky:

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="396" caption="I can see scraps of piratey inspiration here, with the knotted gilt yarn closure and the high captain's jacket collar, but the tailoring is all off. It looks thrown together. The pants are something most of us already own. The outfit looks too contemporary."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="395" caption="The leggings look cool, but I imagine they buckle up when the knees are bent. Not practical if you like sitting or moving. The top looks tacky. I don't have a problem with fringe. I love fringe, BUT it has to be done in the right way. The fringe paired with the swirly metallic look of the graphics on this top are fighting each other. It doesn't seem like Kat at all."][/caption]

These garments, especially this in particular, are items that could have been designed by any old clothing company. I'm thinking Kathy Ireland, Jaclyn Smith, and all the other "every" woman labels. Things you arbitrarily buy for work just because you think they're office appropriate, not because you really like them. I get the feeling that Kat put all her eggs in one basket with the first collection. Perhaps, not wanting have the Spring / Summer collection be too similar, Kat tried to expand her aesthetic. Instead, the aesthetic was almost lost, muddied with pieces that don't fit in with the them and don't feel true to the Kat Von D style. If you cut out all the tacky, humdrum looks, then you'd have a more cohesive, more personal collection, but then again, you'd only have a few looks.

Maybe I've just watched too much Project Runway, but it seems like there were two polar opposite designers - one designer is an evolved continuation of the debut collection - dark, tough, but still elegant. Kat has conceptual focus with the "good" looks, however, the "second" (imaginary) designer (presumably Kat's "average" alter-ego) is trying to design for too broad of an audience, causing the output to be unfocused, uninspired, and bland. The "bad" looks just don't seem like anything Kat herself would wear. I am guessing the schizophrenic differences between the looks may end up being what separates the "White Label" items from the "Red Label" items this time around. The Fall 2011 had cohesive variety; it really didn't need to toned down.

To channel Reading Rainbow, "But don't take my word for it!" View the entire lookbook here and see for yourself.

Earrings Anonymous

I'll be the first to step up and admit that I have an earring problem. I love them way too much. My bedroom doesn't appreciate it, and neither does my boyfriend, but pish posh. A girl's gotta have her earrings. These particular earrings are a set a made a few nights ago.  I think they are chunk and funky, and those are qualities I value highly in jewelry, if you know what I mean. What to you think?

What kind of fashionista are you?

 

[polldaddy poll=5890099]

Discount Line to Watch For: Jason Wu for Target

As we all know, only a select few determined and (probably) tough fashionistas actually nabbed anything from the Versace for H&M line in Fall. The day the line was released, a news broadcaster on NPR radio commented on how H&M employees had to hand out wristbands and numbered tickets because of the amount of people waiting to bust through the doors to snatch a piece of Versace gold. Most stores sold out within the day. And the Missoni for Target line wasn't much better. I breezed into my local Target only a few days into the release of the Missoni line to find nothing but a few infant items that the employees had placed on the Women's displays in a desperate attempt to keep the racks from looking barren.



Maybe, this one'll be different. You may remember First Lady Obama's gown Inaugural Ball, the one she wore as she danced with the President to Beyonce's rendition of At Last. If you don't, here's a refresher. Well, that gorgeously poofy dress was designed by Jason Wu, a now 29 year old Parsons alum whos designs are known for being "fuss-free" but still striking and chic. On February 5th, he will be releasing a ready to wear line with Target that promises to capture the simplicity and chicness of his designs with a much lower price tag. In fact, prices will be decently gentle on your wallet, ranging from $19.99 to $59.99.  The line will include accessories, like bags and scarves.



Click here to see Target's page on the upcoming line. They don't offer much more that a few glimpses as of now, but it does wet your palette. Personally, it an not into printed shirt-dresses unless the prints are something crazy, like cats, but we'll have to wait and see what Mr. Wu has up his sleeves. Mark your calenders. This line will only be available online and in stores from Feb. 5th to March 6th, 2012. I'd recommend getting there early!

Product Reviews: L'oreal ColorZap + John Frieda Precision Foam Hair Color

I have had black hair for about a year now. I loved that black hair dye didn't really damage my hair, and that it was an easy color to apply on my own. I didn't really have to worry about unevenness or missed spots. I'd just slather even on so that my whole head was saturated. But sadly, my love affair with black has ended. It's fall, my skin is ghostly white and I am sick of dealing with my light-colored roots.

So, this past weekend seemed a better time than ever to strip the black from my hair. I am sharing my findings with you.

1. L'Oreal Color Zap: About $11, Sally Beauty Supply.



I did some internet research (mostly via YouTube) on the best way to strip black hair-color from my hair. It quickly became clear that a lot of people were using L'Oreal ColorZap. YouTubers seemed to be getting pretty good results, so I thought I'd give it a try. This product claims to remove artificial pigments from hair with minimal damage to your hair (as long as your hair isn't already damaged -- that's a big disclaimer in the directions). So, did it live up to its expectations for me? Not really. I think this product was worth using, certainly. It did lift the harshness of black from my hair, but unfortunately it only left the length of my hair a dark chocolate color. (My roots were bright white! So, pretty scary.) Now, I'm going to assume the lack of significant color change was because I have been dying it black for a whole year. It looked like the section of my hair that was roots before the last time I dyed it black was slightly lighter than the rest. So, maybe if you only dye it black once and you also use semi-permanent dye, Color Zap might work for you. My hair was freshly cut and in great condition before using L'Oreal Color Zap. Afterwards, it felt dry and rough. I would rate this product better than bleach or blonde dye for removing black from your hair, but it is still a long shot from a magic fix.

2. John Frieda Precision Foam Home Hair Color: Under $12, available at WalMart, KMart, and most drug/grocery stores.



I used the 3vR Radient Red "Deep Cherry Brown" color. I was looking to dye my hair a deep burgandy shade, and this was the closest match. This product claims to be drip-free and precise -- leaving no uneven or blotchy spots on the hair. I was skeptical about foam hair dye, but now I'm a believer.  It was so easy to apply to my hair. It wasn't dripping all over my body and my bathroom floor like traditional hair dyes. One box was enough to cover all of my hair - and I have a lot of hair. With traditional dyes, I always have to buy two boxes. The color looks great -- surprisingly good for what it looked like after using the ColorZap color stripper. My hair did not seem to be damaged by this dye. (However, the ColorZap did damage it, so it's gonna need some TLC.) I think I am going to keep using foam hair color. I love this product, but I wish they had move vivid colors.

Occupy Wall Street

Whatever your feelings, you have to admit that it is good to see young people actually banding together to change something. Our generation is constantly accused of being apathetic, which is often a correct accusation, so it's nice to see something happening.

I am not blaming anyone for my college loan debt. I chose to go to a good school, one that was not cheap, at all. That was my choice. However, it is scary as hell to think that the job that took almost an entire year to get after my graduation is not secure. No one's job is ever 100% secure, I get that. I work in an optometry office. The calls for appointments get fewer and fewer everyday. Customers are scared to spend any money. They only get what their insurance covers. I am terrified. I know if business does not pick up, I'll be the one to go. I'm the newest and the youngest. And this isn't even a job that has anything remotely to do with my college education. THAT is what we're angry about. It's no one's fault in particular, but when the President suggested a bill that can help get our nation back on track -- a bill that might help me keep my job, or help my friends GET jobs -- and we see so many people trying to shoot it down, we get mad. The possibility of losing my job is very real. I will no longer afford to pay my bills and my loans and would be forced to move back in with my family, even though I've just been able to move out.

Okay, stepping off my soapbox and going back to fashion. Hey, didja see some of those cool outfits?

This is video I recorded while walking through Manhattan on 10/08/2011. Even though I was not marching with them, it felt like I was experiencing history in the making.

Street Fashion in Central Park, 10/08/2011 New York City

Last weekend, I took a trip to New York City with my boyfriend to visit my mother and to do some sight seeing (it was my boyfriend's first time in NYC). We explored the city and had a great time! I wore my new Dolce Vita for Target boots. I found them on eBay for only $15 including shipping! I wanted to buy them when they were available at Target, but they sold out in my size. They are actually more comfortable than my old sneakers, amazingly enough, and I was doing A LOT of walking.



We spent much of Saturday touring Central Park. I must admit, the park keeps getting nicer and nicer. One thing that never changes about New York is the fabulous street fashion. I managed to snap a few photos:









And, by a complete stroke of luck, we ran into the Occupy Wallstreet movement in Manhattan as they were leaving the park they'd been protesting in and were relocating.

A Look at the Upcoming Versace collaboration with H&M

This past weekend, my boyfriend and I took a short vacation to New York City, and for the long bus ride home I picked up the new issue of Vogue. As I read through the magazine, I came to the feature on Versace's upcoming diffusion line the fashion house is launching with H&M. (For those of you who are like me and don't know what diffusion line means, it's basically a more affordable, redesigned version of an expensive designer line.) I'm still mourning the loss of my chance at snagging a piece from the Missoni for Target line that is still technically going on, but as most fashionistas will tell you, the shelves are bare, so the article in Vogue was pretty exciting for me. The Missoni for Target line sold out within days of release online and in my local Target. I wanted at least a cardigan, but no dice. Perhaps, like the Dolce Vita line, I'll be able to scrounge something up on eBay. (I found a pair of Dolce Vita for Target boots with the gold buckles and zippers for only $15, including shipping! I'll show them off in my next post!)



The Versace line will have two roll-out dates, the first being Novermber 17th and the second coming January 19th of next year. The first installment will include woman and menswear as well as goods for the home, such as decor and dinner ware. Both installments are reworkings of iconic designs from Versace's archives, including many from the late Gianni Versace.



Above is a video released by Versace back in June. Lots of leather and studs, she says. Well, the line will be far less expensive than real Versace pieces, but not cheap by H&M standards. Maybe the upside is that the line won't sell out immediately like the Missoni for Target line has.  We're getting more and more looks at pieces now that the full ad campaign has been released. Here are some to pique your interest...

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="515" caption="Donatella Versace wearing one of the studded leather dresses from the line for H&M at a Versace fashion show."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Daphne Groeneveld and Lindsey Wixson modeling the H&M line. Photo by Mert & Marcus."][/caption]

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="412" caption="A reworking of a Gianni Versace design for the H&M line."][/caption]

I am excited, but doubtful I will be able to afford anything. Hopefully the H&M closest to me will be one of the "select" stores. For more scans of the ads that have been released, check out this Fashonologie article.