Recent finds & a possible outfit . . .

I thrifted a Liz Claiborne plum knit 2 piece set yesterday (I ditched the skirt, it was kind of awful) intending to sell it, but tried it on for kicks. And now I think I'm keeping it...whoops! But now I'm having trouble styling it. Alright now be honest with me - too '80s call girl?




































Plum sweater dress with gold studs: Thrifted
Extra long black leggings: Target
Black suede shoes: Deena & Ozzy for Urban Outfitters




























And here are a couple things I've gotten lately but haven't figured out how to style yet, either. Feel free to make suggestions on what to wear this stuff with, I'm having a "fashion block" or something I guess :P!






































Sparkly knit cropped sweater from Forever21.





































Velvet floral vest, thrifted.

A Birthday Wishlist

Wow, I guess it's that time! My 22nd birthday is October 13th, and looking at the calendar today I realized it's already less than two weeks away. Woah! It actually falls on a weekday, so I decided to do something fun the weekend before to celebrate. Next weekend, Bettie and I are going to take a little trip down to Columbus for the Gil Mantera show and (hopefully) some thrifting adventures. I'm kind of thinking about gifting myself one of these treasures to wear for the occasion!


































Left: Vintage '80s slouchy shell cardigan, $30 from Retro Lane on Etsy.
Right: Oversize burnt orange '80s sweater, $44.99 from Persephone Vintage on Etsy.


Studded bucket bag, $35 from Bajue Boutique on Etsy.


Etienne Aigner tapestry bag, $38.50 from The Pudding Store Vintage on Etsy.
















































Indigo jeggings, $35 from Dorothy Perkins.



Dotted tights, $16 from Topshop. Anyone know where I can find these in plus size? And preferably in black...





























Baccarat heels, $39.99 from Modcloth. (I think I need to face my heel fear and try some out!)

I'm trying not to do a TON of online shopping, since I am soon to be jobless (hurray for quitting the evil corporation!), but I'm so in love with these things! I tried to keep this list in my price range, even though I wanted to go crazy with an expensive "fantasy list." :P And mostly, to be honest, I am quite content with thrifted goods!

Shoe vote!

My best friend is kind of obsessed with shoes (and yes, that is a link to her new blog - do visit!). She has millions. Gets really excited about them and whatnot (what? You do :P!). I realized...me, not so much. I have a tendency to never splurge on them. In fact, I can be rather cheap! And I can't help but be practical! I'm a flats/sneaker/boots kind of gal I guess. Heels? No thanks. In fact, I kind of look on them more as art - something to be admired, but actually worn...? Here are some of my recent favorites from my closet:



(Left to right) Top row: Thrifted, Minnetonkas via Zappos, Target, thrifted.

Bottom row: Some mall store, thrifted, H&M, BC Footwear via Zappos, thrifted.

So I gave the whole "buy shoes that cost more than $20" thing a whirl (the black t-straps and Minnetonka mocs, most recently)...and I am officially in a shoe phase (in case you missed what I was hinting at: it's all Bettie's fault!). Over the last few paychecks I have actually bought myself a few decent pairs of shoes. And now I need more. Haha. Which is where you come in, friends! Which ones should join my little shoe family next?

1. BC Footwear Stormy Weather Leather Jazz Ankle Boot, $69.95

















2. Kimchi & Blue Heeled Oxford, $58.00




























3. Deena & Ozzy for UO Essential Heel, $48.00



























4. BC Footwear Carpool Fringe Flat, $39.95.

The Style Monster

So, lately...I'm going through a bit of a phase. Or something. We young people do that, right? Reassure me here. It's like my taste in clothes has taken on a mind of its own o.o! My style this summer was basically like art teacher meets your churchgoing Grandmother (let's just be honest haha). For the last few months, I had had the strongest aversion to the mall and store-bought items. And suddenly, BAM! I find myself with the strangest things for fall...





























Left: Charlotte Rousse, $12. Right: Etsy, $20.




























Left: Maroon rose print pencil skirt, thrifted, $2. Middle: Dusty pink ruffled cami, JC Penney, $17. Right: Embellished rose T-shirt, Target, $22.































Left: Black & white stripe T-shirt: Faith21, $18. Middle: Huge abstract rose bag, Forever21, $18. Right: Simple black boots, Target, $40.

I know, the rose thing has gotta stop haha. But anyway! I've also got a few other things in mind that I'd like to slowly incorporate into my wardrobe and a few things on their way. I also invested in a basic black top, sweater, and pants. I'm also on the hunt for a nice leather jacket. I guess sometimes I just feel kind of, well, OLD dressing all in vintage/thrifted. In fact, well, a few people have told me so.

WAIT - I know what you're thinking. Don't let people change the way you want to dress, wear what you feel good in...I get it. But honestly, sometimes they were right! I'm still a bargain shopper though (after spending all that time paying less than $10 per garment, $40 on a shirt seems a little crazy!), but I am starting to feel a lot more open to more modern styles.

Honestly, you can just blame these (fabulous) people. Just a warning, only click if you are willing to be completely inspired!:

Fatshionable
Style Bubble
Garbage Dress
Kingdom of Style
Alice Point

The Permanent Pout

When I think of vintage style, one of the first elements that comes to mind is a red lip. It's considered a classic, and I think it's here to stay! And trust me, I have spent a fair amount of time annoying sales girls as I try to choose the perfect shade. I am a picky person in general, and lipsticks are no exception. I prefer smooth, matte shades in just about all areas of beauty and really can’t get into sparkly or pearl finish products. I was just telling my friend the other day how drugstore cosmetic shopping would be so much easier if they only listed the type of finish!

You might think all reds are the same, but ah! Apparently it isn’t so. There’s your coral red, blue tone red, yellow tone, ones that wear more brownish - it can be a confusing thing! And well, sorry to disappoint, but I don’t think I’ve found my perfect shade yet. Truth be told, a bold lip makes me pretty self-conscious! Someone told me once to wear it around the house for awhile to get comfortable, and even though I feel silly, I may just try that.

Part of my search includes of course, scouring flickr and bloggy folk. And boy, did I find some lovely ones! I even found out what color/brand they are so that perhaps you might do some trying out yourself if you’re on the hunt like me!

































Solanah - Chanel Red Velvet (or she suggests her cheaper alternative too, Revlon Really Red!)















































Johanna - Flamenco by Clinique (discontinued, but you can find it on Ebay!)



































Diary of a Vintage Girl - MAC Viva Glam I


































Piksi - A combination of MAC Russian Red and So Chaud.















































The Stylish Wanderer - MAC Ruby Woo





























Super Kawaii Mama - Boots No. 7 Moulin Rouge

When it comes to beauty products, I spend a lot of time researching beforehand, and one place I always check out is Makeup Alley. Not only does it have tons of awesome reviews, but you can actually swap on there, too! (And yes, I do! If you're worried about sanitation issues, just use alcohol for lipsticks, baby shampoo for brushes, etc. A lot of ladies even swap brand new sealed stuff.) You can find me on there as "starry9oclocksky" if you wanna trade :)! Oh! And if you're looking for swatches, check out Karla Sugar.

Anyway, I’ve already tried most of the MAC shades above (though I do love other MAC lipsticks! Like High Tea & Touch), and I'm way too poor for Chanel, so I guess I'll just have to keep on keepin' on. Back to the drawing board!

P.S. Thanks a million to all the pretty ladies I bothered about their lipstick color :D!

Sweet Finds Roundup

I spent the majority of the day with my mom. She’s pretty much the best mom ever. Ever since I was little, whenever I have hobbies or projects, she loves to help me any way she can. So lately, she’s been helping me with the shop! She even found two awesome dresses while her and my dad were on one of their little day trips. So today we tackled my “to be mended/washed” pile. Since I dislike sewing so much (to put it mildly!) I did the easy stuff - the trying on, the seam ripping, getting stuck with pins! etc. We particularly spent a lot of time (and only half the time bickering :P) on a dress I bought from Effie recently. I can’t wait to wear it, but jeez I think we altered it every possible way (as I had expected when I bought it, I just love the print so much)! So I’ll save the reveal of that one until I get it ready to wear.

But I also wanted to show you some of things I’ve bought in the last month or so! The most recent dress came from a trendy little boutique in Akron called Revival that also sells a bit of vintage and secondhand stuff. I’m trying to make myself choose between this one and the purple gingham one I wore in this post. Because really, how many purple and white dresses does a gal need :P? Any votes? (And yes, I’m still on the “Little House” kick, clearly!)





































Next is a super feminine number I bought from Cynara, if some of you remember her from when she was featured here! I sort of stake out the mailbox these days, waiting for it to get here haha.


































This is a lipstick case my parents found at an antique shop for $1! I’m so smitten I think I’ve decided to collect them. (And can you guess which movie I’ll be watching tonight ;D?)




























From the same place I found this pretty little… decoration? For $5. I can’t decide what I like best about it - the prints on those little kimonos, the “frozen” - ness of it, or the whole “I love anything in miniature” thing! I’d love to know how old it is…




























These two bags! I really love these simple leather bags. The brown one is actually not a Coach, just a very good replica. It is leather though, made by Wilson’s. The beige one is Coach, and I paid a little more than I’d have like to spend ($25), since you can find them just about anywhere. But still thrift stores mark them up, ugh! I guess they know silly people like me will buy them :P Both are thrifted.























































This dress I bought awhile ago from JessJamesJake, and you might remember it from this post. I really, really like it, but feel like it’s more of an autumn dress so I haven‘t worn it yet. I have no idea how to style it for cooler weather though…help!?


































Along with all the hemmin’ and washin’ I took photos of a bunch of new things for the shop. Most of them are brought to you by my bff Bettie, if anyone remembers her? Initially, we intended to share this blog but it turns out being a social butterfly doesn’t leave much time for bloggin’. Now if you’re a hermit like me, on the other hand… :) Anyway, I’ll get to listing those before the end of the week. As for the plus size update I keep talking about, I’ve been pondering what to do with them. I’d like to give the wonderful ladies at Fatshionista the pick of the litter, or should I post them here?





























A gaggle of Ken dolls bid you good night! (Check out that pastel guy, what a charmer!)

Shopping Habits + Mini DIY Projects

It's funny when you really take a look into your room, you kinda learn a little about yourself! So I thought it might be fun to share the kinds of things I somehow ended up collecting, or I guess the things I've realized I have a tendency to buy. It's been good because now I see that I have enough of certain things and I'll have a better idea of what I "need" when I go shopping again :).






























Wow, I'm really into warm tones I guess! So now I am strictly enforcing the no red, pink, orange, yellow, or brown ban. This is especially odd because my favorite colors are green and blue. So I quickly remedied that this morning and bought the most gorgeous blue dress on Etsy, which I will post in due time :)...






























I live at home at the moment, and so I try not to buy too many housewares...but I just can't resist these tins! I think they're called "Daner" tins, as far as I've been able to research, and are made mostly in England. Originally they seemed to be used for storing tea. In my future kitchen, I plan on putting a whole lot of them on a shelf above the stove and using them to store all kinds of goodies besides tea :D






























Bags with buckles <3 onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y83/peachhips/m2.png">

Initial memoribila. Eek, a little narcissistic I know. But I think when something is personalized it makes it a little bit special and little more you. I made this wooden initial pin some time ago, I wear it usually on my work apron. If you're into DIY projects, simply: 1. Buy a wooden letter. I found this one in a 2 pack at Joanne Fabrics. 2. Stain and let dry for at least 24 hrs, or longer. 3. Once dry, hot glue a pin back onto it. Let dry for an hour or so. Ta da!


































This was a Christmas gift, though I'd love to try to make one myself.































This is a habit I'd call a bad one. Flats, flats, flats! I have three pairs of heels: one black pair, one brown pair, and a multi-color pair for fun. I really love them but I find them pretty much unbearable if I need to do any amount of walking. But surely there are comfortable heels? Anyway, these two are my favorites lately. The light blue denimish ones on the right I thrifted, and they are incredibly comfortable. The ones on the left were inspired by The Clothes Horse. I fell in love with the black pair she got from Bona Drag, and I ran (or rather, clicked) straight there ready to buy a pair, but suffered from sticker shock and decided not to.

So I decided to just make them myself! I ended up not being the first to have this idea and found a tutorial, which worked perfectly. The only thing I did differently was at the end when you're all finished, use duck tape for the inside instead of electrical tape - much more comfortable. I bought the shoe at AllAboutDance.com for about $20 including shipping, the studs for a few dollars on Ebay, and everything else I had around the house.

Now I'm off to enjoy a dinner of fried squash, corn on the cob, fresh green beans, and cherries! I love summer :D

The Practical Lady According to Candybar: Plus size shopping edition.

How nice would it be to flip through this month’s issue of Vogue and, along with all things fashion
and beauty related - find a sewing pattern, a recipe, financial advice? From what I understand, women’s magazines aren’t what they used to be. Not that I haven’t bought my fair share of Vogues, Elle, and Cosmos, but to be honest with you I don’t think I bothered with 99% of the articles there. I guess the point of these types of publications is to communicate runway fashion and trends to the masses, and that’s all well and good, but for most of us it’s a “use once and discard” situation - look at the pictures and throw it away, save for a few inspiring photos to scrapbook or to cover your wall with if you’re 14. Some are catching on with blogger articles and such, as far as the fashion stuff goes, but there really isn’t as much practical advice as their used to be. Women’s magazines of the olden days valued practicality and thriftiness. What happened?

So I’ve decided to start a new regular feature, The Practical Lady According to Candybar. I hope you get at least a little something out of these “articles!” I’ve already sort of done something like this without realizing it when I posted about thrifting tips awhile back. So this time we’ll be talking about plus size shopping.

1. My first, and I figure my most important tip, is: do not settle. I struggle with this problem very often myself! I think it’s easy to get frustrated when things don’t fit and to just buy “the next best thing” because the piece you fell in love with didn’t fit/cost too much/etc. Save your money! It will be worth it when that thing you almost bought isn’t hanging in the back of your closet with the tags still attached.

2. KNOW YOUR SIZE. Even thin ladies do this :P If something is too small…it’s too freakin’ small. Don’t buy it for “when you get back to suchandsuch weight” or altering it to try and make it fit (unless you’re letting out a seam). I’m sure you are a creative goddess, but unless you are a skilled tailor and know what you’re doing, I say move on. When you try something on and it seems snug, or is the fabric is pulling or that last button doesn’t button…don’t you dare try to talk yourself into saying it fits. It’s okay to try things on that are a smaller size that look like they may fit (some brands run large, may have an elastic waist or any other number of forgiving features), but for goodness sake don’t keep picking up a 12 when a 16 would be much more flattering. You are not a number.

3. That being said, understand your body. My best friend and I agree that we’ve come to understand our shapes and what works for them. Not that there’s a uniform style you need to stick to, but certainly an idea of what is unflattering is helpful. In my case this means no low rise jeans (muffin top, ahoy!), strapless things (instant uni-boob), anything too high-waisted (darn my short torso!), and narrow shoes (wide feet, blame my mother :P!). You should also know your measurements and don’t be afraid to try things on that you think usually don’t work for you. No harm in trying!

4. Broaden your shopping horizons. Get creative with where you shop - if you keep heading to the same local shops, it only limits you. Don’t be snobby and ignore the plus shops, either! You never know what you’ll find. Try out maternity clothes, too. Get over any mental stigmas you have about clothes and where to get them. And by God - shop online! The whole world is your shopping mall. To start off…

Ballyhoovintage.com
Violetvillevintage.com
Heyviv.com
H&M
Delias.com
Torrid.com
OldNavy.com
Gap.com


5. Something I learned the hard way…Consider how the garment will fit after its been washed. Do you really want to hand wash and line dry that t-shirt every time? Will it still fit as well as it does now once its been washed and dried? Dry cleaning your thing?

6. Be thrifty. I get seriously annoyed when a plus vintage dress is marked up on Etsy or Ebay and I see the words “Rare large size!!” Glare! I hate to be a drag, but even if they are rare, it just doesn’t seem right. I find larger size vintage in thrift stores fairly often. I think the price should depend on other factors, like quality, age, style, etc. Also, some modern stores like to charge a few dollars extra on larger sizes. For what…a few more inches? I don’t think that’s very good customer service, if you ask me! (Yes, I’m talking to you, Alloy folks.)

7. I’m sure I could have easily grouped this one in with number 3, but I thought it deserved a proper mention on its own. Try to avoid “easy fashion.” It seems big retailers want to confine us to certain styles. Not that one wrap dress, weird flowy boho top, or some form of stretch geometric print will kill you, but let’s not get carried away like our friends at Faith21. You deserve choice, I tell you!

I have loads of ideas for future topics, but is there anything in particular you might like to see? Not that I'm an expert on all matters, but maybe someone will benefit from my two cents!

P.S. Come back for a really awesome giveaway tomorrow :)!!

Etsy Addict

Click the photo to visit!

See, I make good on my promises, right? I still have tons of things to photograph, but this is what I've listed for tonight :) Expect more before the end of the week, though! While I was "working" I couldn't help but browse Etsy, even though I did buy one of the dresses from my pastels post :O I'll try to keep it a surprise until I receive it and try it on! I'm actually feeling a little dress-crazy lately, they're all I want to wear, and every time I peer into my closet and more haven't magically appeared I stand puzzled and disappointed. Plus I've been purging a lot of stuff lately, and I don't have many that are suitable for summer...ah, the words of an addict.

Anyhoo I thought I'd show you some of the things I'm lusting after. Sorry, fatty finds only this time!




From Everything Nana.



From Sacaton June.

From Rarae Aves.


From Sandy's Fancy Pants.

From Kisses From Ana.

From Erin Liz.

Speaking of fatty, where are all the chubby girl bloggers!? If you're out there, comment on this post so I can find you, huh? ;)

Bear with me here...

A meme has been floating around, and since my hurried outfit snaps didn't turn out today, I think I'll jump on the bandwagon!

1. What is your current obsession?

This vintage bathing suit I won on Ebay :D






























2. What is your weirdest obsession?

Hm. I don't think any of them are that weird, but if I had choose I guess it would be my fascination with any/all versions of the King Arthur tale. Mm, nerdy medieval stuff.

3. What do you see outside your window?

No window in here :(! This is our "emergency" room we go to whenever there's a tornado or something haha.

4. What is your favorite color?

Green, oh yes!

5. What is your weakness?

80's cartoon memorbilia. I still can't resist buying anything My Little Pony, Care Bears, and Rainbow Brite (circa 1980s of course, none of this re-done nonsense) and I'm 21 years old!


























6. What animal would you be?

A horse, of course!

7. What would you like to learn how to do?

Everyone is saying sew their own clothes, and that would be great, but truth be told I'd rather go the dentist than fiddle with any sewing project! I'm impatient when it comes to sewing. So I'll have to say I would love to be able to work for myself.

8. What do you want to never happen in life?

Eek, many things. I'm really dreading the next locust season. It's scary, like the apocalypse or something!

9. What is on your bedside table?

Stack of books, geisha lady lamp, my phone.

10. What's the last thing you bought?

In person it was an iced soy decaf caramel latte (so high maintenance haha). But technically most recent was the bathing suit above.

11. What do you think about the person who tagged you?

I sort of just hijacked this survey, see. But A Cat of Impossible Colour gave me permission! I think she's adorable and wears vintage so well!

12. What was your favorite children's book?

Golden books when I was really young. Sweet Valley Twins. I read Number the Stars about a billion times.








































13. Who do you want to meet in person?

As far as anyone, I have an online friend who I've been friends with for several years, affectionately nicknamed Panpo, who I'd love to meet. But as for bloggers, Strawberry Koi seems like a lovely lady. And Fashion Hayley seems like tons of fun!

14. What did you want to be as a child?

A horse jockey. Yes, I was one of those creepy horse girls. I remember going into kindergarten career day with an english riding helmet and one of those horse-on-a-stick deals, sound effects and all.

15. What did you dream about last night?

Really big hair. That's all I remember!

16. Which do you prefer, day or night?

Night. I always wait to go to sleep until I'm abolutely about to keel over from exhaustion. And sadly, when I open at work on Saturdays I have to take Tylenol P.M. the night before!

17. What's your favorite piece of clothing in your closet?

Definitely my vintage t-shirt collection. So comfy! I've realized that something must be 100% comfortable, or else it just sits and rots in my closet. Expect a post on my little collection someday!

18. What's your plan for tomorrow?

Hang out with Bettie, or in other words, forget life for the day.

19. What would you like to get your hands on right now?

A pair of vintage sunglasses to go with that suit!

































20. What is your must-have of the moment?

Dresses. I would inject vintage dresses into my veins these days if I could.

21. What's your favorite tea flavor?

Chai! Cold at the moment, since it's getting warmer.

22. If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?

Anywhere in the deep south. New Orleans, Savannah, anywhere. I'm kind of obsessed with the idea. I've been to Tennessee and Florida, but those just aren't Southern enough!

I think I'm going to tag The Clothes Horse, Heart City, and Thrift Candy!