Thrift Shop Review - Another Day, Another Salvos!

Sorry for doing two of these in a row! I've just been so excited about finding new thrift stores I couldn't help myself! Don't be surprised if another one pops up this week, too, since I'm going thrifting again tomorrow in Akron while I visit my bestest friend in the whole wide world :D Happy day!




Salvation Army in Parma, OH on Pearl Rd.

Service: Unfortunately I didn't have much interaction with the employees. However, while maneuvering around the busy store, I said "excuse me" and smiled nervously at customers and employees, and I was a little put off when no one smiled back or actually said anything at all o_O. But, half-off days are pretty chaotic so we'll just chalk it up to that?


Selection: TONS of stuff here! They always have a ton of computers and TVs too, if you're looking for that kind of thing. They had a nice long dress aisle, too! I found a bunch of stuff this time!


Price: Pretty average as far as Salvos seem to go. They seem to mark up leather/shoes/name brands pretty high though.


Organization: There were a LOT of people working at this one. I counted at least 7 different employees buzzing around, so that probably helps with the neatness of the place. The bookcases especially were very well kept!

Overall: 8/10. I think I prefer SAs over Goodwills, but I've gotta find some more unique places!



































I was on the hunt for a good broken in '80s sweatshirt after I saw Caroline's on Wardrobe Remix, and I think I'm digging this one! I like the way it fits, and I'm always into weird artsy/tribal prints :P! This is actually a typical casual outfit for me.



























On the inside...how funny xD!





























Granny boots and oxfords for the shop...







































Oh, how I wish this fit! I also got a beaded cashmere cropped sweater for Etsy (which sadly just wouldn't photograph properly). These things should be popping up in the store hopefully before the end of the week! Although, now that I think of it, feel free to inquire about it here you fancy anything that much :).

Thrift Shop Reviews

I came across a blog a few days ago where a gal was taking a road trip, visiting several thrift shops along the way and rating them. What a brilliant idea!! So I thought I would rate my local(ish) shops in case anyone is ever in the area :) Thank you for the link, Leilani and Jade! (Speaking of thrift, WOW, check out their blog!)






























Salvation Army on Heisley Road in Mentor, OH.

Service: The employees are kind of grumpy, but they don't give you too much trouble. One of the gals is particularly nice and we have a little chat whenever I see her. The manager is kind of scary. While perusing the racks, I constantly hear her bossing people around.



Selection: I seem to find at least one thing whenever I go here! They also don't usually have any of those chain store cast offs either, which is amazing. I have even found a gem or two amongst the polyester madness they call the vintage section. In general, they have a LOT of stuff and bring in new things often.





























Price: Sometimes they can be expensive. I saw a dress there yesterday for $12.99, BUT I s'pose it was new with tags. I don't seem to find a ton of things at once, so I actually don't mind very much. It also makes me more selective, which usually turns out to be a good thing. However, most everything is half off in Wednesdays. But if you go that day, expect long lines and crowds.


Organization: ...is decent. The clothes are arranged by color, which seems to work out okay. It seems to be easier to keep than size order, but I actually would prefer it that way. For the smaller lady this might not be such a problem though. Usually the store is kept clean, I almost always see someone mopping or sweeping. And the bathroom is decent, too!

Overall: 8/10. One of the best I've found! Only 10 minutes away, too :)






























Here's what I found this time! I love these leather messenger/briefcase bags. I actually have another one in caramel that I found quite some time ago. I've been saving them for the laptop I'm hoping to go halves on with my parents for my birthday in October :)!

My So-Called Inspiration

I love the '90s. It's one of the eras I grew up in, so naturally I'm nostalgic, right?! If I haven't mentioned it before, I also love TV shows. They're like...one long, complicated movie :O So obviously, TV show + the '90s = YES! Recently I have discovered My So-Called Life, and can't get enough. Before this, I was obsessed with Dawson's Creek. Then there's Boy Meets World, Fresh Prince, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (still working on this one!), Friends, Seinfield...even Sex & the City started in the 1990's.





































Deep green dress: Thrifted
Caramel booties: Thrifted
Transparent black tights: Thrifted
Floral carpet bag: Vintage, Chelsea's.

(Sorry for the awkward pose, it was raining a bit so I was trying to hurry!)






















































Not to mention movies like 10 Things I Hate About You, Clueless, Jawbreaker...I mean seriously, it's good stuff xD! Angsty teen mallrats, cute wholesome boys, high school drama...And don't get me started about what's on my Ipod (Violent Femmes, The Cranberries, oh my!). Okay, I will shut up haha. But the point is that it inspired me to try to put together a '90s-ish outfit. I could have done a big plaid shirt, Doc Martens, etc, but I was trying not to look costumey! I know it could use some accessories, but I'm at a loss when it comes to that stuff. Anyway, I'm going to try to do a Fat Love Friday post tomorrow, but I have school and work all weekend, so we'll see how it goes. On that note, thanks for putting up with my sporadic posting <3!

Daily Outfit x 2!

Left:
"Mermaid" dress: Thrifted and shortened
Black crossbody bag: Etsy (sorry, you'll be seeing this one a lot!)
Sandals: Saltwater sandals (I'm livin' in these babies!)

Right:
"Science" dress: Thrifted and altered (hemmed and made into short sleeves)
Pink kisslock purse: Childhood remnant
Maroon tights: WeLoveColors
Studded ballet slippers: DIY























Couple of notes! The little pink bag I've had since I was little. I've almost gotten rid of it so many times now, but could never part with it :P The left I wore to go see Harry Potter, and the left I wore around the house and to the store after work today. The tights are definitely my favorite element of the outfit, I was so glad it was cool enough to wear them today! WeLoveColors are the only tights I really buy, to be honest with you. They're so soft and durable and it was so nice to be able to choose from such a large variety of sizes and colors. These ones are a mouth-watering raspberry color (called "Maroon" on their color chart). Plan on seeing their tights here a lot! (And don't miss out on a chance to win some in the giveaway!)

The plum/red dress actually has darling gold buttons with atoms on them! That's why I've been referring to it as the science dress :P My camera is acting up lately, especially with up close shots, so I think I need to read the manual to fix that! It was really matronly too before I had it hemmed and the long sleeves turned into short ones. Like I said before, I hate sewing, so I was happy to swap favors with a neighbor lady! I made her business cards in exchange for the alterations :).

Anyway, a quick post today! I'm working this weekend and I have a mountain of homework, ick. I'm still going to do Fat Love Friday (I've got two wonderful chickies picked out!), but it'll have to be posted tomorrow. Gah, I was never very good with deadlines...

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

Thrifting 101

Here are two skirts I've thrifted for myself recently ^_^. The floral one on the left only just fits, and I happen to be eating a piece of coconut/pistachio/pineapple cake (my mom's specialty!) and I know I'm not helping matters! The one on the right was actually difficult to photograph (do excuse the wrinkles :P) but I love the color/pattern. I'll probably end up wearing both of these with boring white tshirts, but... we'll see.

So I was thinking about thrifting and all the little things I've learned through my adventures and I decided to write them down for you! Whether you're a novice or a thrift-spert or somewhere in between, I hope they help!

1. Learn to be selective. Only buy it if it’s amazing. Don’t just go around buying things willy-nilly because it’s vintage. A lot of vintage things are just plain ugly, and don’t get any more attractive just because they’re vintage!

2. Check carefully for damages. I learned this the hard way! There were a few times I brought home what I thought was the perfect find, only to discover it had stains, a botched hem, or some sort of tear (usually in the armpit!). There are things that can be mended, but if it’s in terrible shape, unfortunately it may just be best left behind, pennies saved for something else.

3. If you DO buy something that needs fixing up, make sure that you know how to do it, or at the very least, that you will find some way to do it. If you can’t stand sewing (like me!) the chances are that these projects are just going to pile up and be a waste of money in the end. But if you enjoy sewing and can make the time, by all means have at it!

4. Have a routine. I try to go the same thrift store at least once or twice a week. I’ve tried to go more frequently, but it’s easy to get frustrated when there’s barely anything new. Unless your store has a “new items” section, I think it’s better when there’s a little time between visits, because a week or so gives them enough time to put out new items. A good thing to do is ask when new things are put up, too!

5. Don’t always disregard sections that seem unappealing. We have a “Sportswear” section at my store that I tend to avoid, but occasionally I’ve found a vintage cardigan or blouse in there. Also check out the sleepwear section, since some of those housedresses can make really great cotton-y summer frocks!

6. Keep finding more stores. If you have the means - travel! I’ve often made it a day trip to visit several towns within an hour or two away. It’s nice to get away and refreshing to see new people and places. Here’s what I do when planning a thrift trip:

a. Use yellowpages.com to find stores around your area. You can also go to the official goodwill and salvation army sites for locations.

b. Use mapquest or a map to determine what the best route is - what makes the most sense driving-wise.

c. CALL BEFOREHAND. There is usually a telephone number in the listing, I highly recommend calling in advance to find out their hours, or if they are even still operating.

d. Don’t be afraid to ask for directions, and bring tools to help you navigate. Personally I have a little swiss army knife with a compass on it that’s helped immensely!

7. Haggle. I wouldn’t be my father’s daughter if I didn’t try to bargain with someone! If something has a hole, missing buttons, or any other damage, at least try to get a small discount. Or if you’re buying a lot of things. Most times, people are willing to take 10-50% off if you point these things out. This ain’t Macy’s, ladies!

8. Find out when they have sales going on. The Salvation Army stores in my area have their biggest sale on Wednesdays. A lot of times stores will have flyers that tell you what colors/items are discounted on what days - just ask if they have one!

9. Be friendly with the staff. Employees who recognize you might be willing to show you some of the more interesting items or even share their discount with you. Now, don't try to make friends just to get a discount! But it always helps to be nice and show appreciation, no matter where you are or what you're doing.




























I also thrifted this amazing vintage coral wallet and a lavender Stanley thermos. The wallet is in pristine condition, it even still has the original pen inside. It also has the owner's original last check in there! Apparently its come all the way from St. Louis, Missouri to be with me. The thermos will be nice in the winter time, and oh how I love feminine housewares!

Anyway, if you're determined to be a smart thrifter, you should also check out:

1. Rhiannon of Liebemarlene's 10 thrifting tips via Mademoiselle Robot
2. Rachael of The Life Aesthetic's second hand shopping guide
3. Diana of Painfully Hips' thrifting pointers
4. and Aya of Strawberry Koi's thrifting video!

Happy thrifting :D!

Garden Love & Luck

Clover print dress: thrifted
Leather faded color block purse: Wilson's, thrifted
Nude netted wedges: Naturalizer, thrifted

I'm not that crazy about this outfit unfortunately :P But it's been so hot lately and I was determined to get out of my cutoffs and tshirts, and the only other garment that was going to stand up to the heat was this breezy dress. I thrifted it the other day when the boyfriend and I went to a new thrift store (which is amazing in itself, since he usually hates shopping!). I wore this to my work to take my boss a farewell gift and wish him luck. Hopefully the clovers wore off on him! He was great, I'll really miss him!





































The wedges I'm pretty excited about, considering they are a Wide size, which is hard to come by! Plus I'm pretty obsessed with nude shoes right now.






















































The new Salvation Army we found definitely climbed to the top of my list because I found a ton of really great shoes! I spent a lot of the afternoon photographing them today, so expect them to trickle into the shop this weekend and early next week. While I was taking pictures, I snapped a few shots of some of our garden. My parents collect turtle statues, some sort of romantic thing between the two of them? Which I think is pretty corny, but very, very sweet.
























































































I've decided to try my luck on Ebay, and perhaps shift a few things from Etsy to there eventually as an experiment. But for the moment I'm giving it a try with my favorite find of the shoe haul. The listing is up and ready to go, so bid before they're gone ;)! Click to view the listing!






























P.S. Does anyone have trouble viewing my blog? I looked at it on a different computer and it's all out of alignment and such...help ; ;!?

P.P.S. Only a few more days left for the Lee Meszaros giveaway! Hurry and enter before it's over!

Girl of a Different Color

'80s Blue roses dress: thrifted
Cherry saddle bag: thrifted
Crazy '80s patchwork heels: thrifted
Gold bow + chain earrings: handmade, gift.

I told you I was feeling inspired by the ladies I posted about on Friday :D! It was really warm today (okay, only about 80 something, but for us northern folk that's pretty hot after 6 months or so of cold!) and I was really digging bright sunny colors. Last week I posted about how I was going garage sale-ing, but unfortunately they ended up being mostly baby clothes, stuffed animals, and knick knacks. Don't you hate that? Ah well. It's kind of interesting going through peoples' things though, one guy's sale told me he was a little dirty (huge Playboy collection), Pro-Life (pin badges), and a veteran (military wares). I was a little embarrassed sorting through his things!

So after I gave up on those, I headed to my trusty thrift store and found this outfit (except the bag, which I thrifted a couple months ago a few miles east of here). I was really trying to do something different so I hope it turned out okay!

It's so weird, the 1980's are probably my least favorite decade as far as fashion goes, but somehow my latest closet additions are all from that era! Tis a mystery... I also wore an '80s skirt the other night for a friend's birthday dinner, but it rained practically a monsoon and I was in a hurry so I will try to recreate it and post it here later in the week :).

I was also sushi-crazed this weekend! So much so that I had it twice. One of my favorite things to do is sit in a quiet sushi restaraunt and read a nice girly, smut novel (aka the Charlaine Harris series). The first plate is from a place called Sumo Boy. It's pretty cheap and the service is excellent! I just tried the second one today at a joint called Young's, and if I may be so bold, should tell you it is the best on Earth. I ate it while I sat through a huge traffic jam and was happy as a clam!
























































Yum! Anyway, happy Monday, hope you all have a great week!

Girly & Thrifty

80s Country Club-esque dress: Thrifted
Vintage straw bag: Thrifted
Dusty pink flats: Thrifted
Gold locket: Ebay

Gosh, I don't know what happened to today! I meant to put another load of things into the store but somehow the day got away from me. After I ran my errands, I went to my favorite Salvos (I may just dedicate an entire post to this shop, it's a treasure trove!) and thrifted this outfit. I feel a little charity brunch and church girl in this but it was one of the warmest days we've had in June so far so I decided to just go with the girlie-ness.

Our first rose of the year!

After thrifting I came home and went on a bike ride with my mom down to this little field in our neighborhood to feed the deer. Usually they're clustered around there at dusk, but they weren't out today so we just left them the apples we brought (I might've been a little too scared if they were close anyway!)



The thrifting fairies must have been with me today (haha sorry that's a dorky habit, this constant mention of "the thrift fairy" or "the gas prices fairy" etc!) because I found three pairs of shoes :D! Which is awesome because my shoe collection is really quite pathetic these days. The gray ones are the only vintage (and they have little heels! the other two are flats) and the brand is called "Outdorables," how cute is that?

And lastly, this adorable straw bag! I was going to put it into the shop (sorry x_x!) but amazingly it fit all of my necessities. I've no idea what era it's from, so if you know I'm really quite curious!

Anyway, not much else to tell you about except to expect a shop update in the next day or two. Speaking of Etsy, there is a dress in Anja's shop that she's supposed to put in there soon, and I'm watching for it like a hawk, praying it's in my size! If it is, I can't wait to get it and show it to you :D! Wish me luck!

Teeny Bopper Challenge

Very Modcloth -ish, right? Hm, maybe it's just me...

Cream top: Forever21

Patterned skirt: Wet Seal
Purple flats: Charlotte Rousse
Faux snakeskin bag: Thrifted

Unfortunately I haven't had much luck with thrift stores lately, save for a few trinkets and things to put in the shop. I know every girl has some feature she finds hard to dress (broad shoulders, big hips, tiny frame, etc!) but being the curvaceous lady that I am I get discouraged sometimes when all the "best" vintage things I find are about 5 sizes too small.

SO! A mall-lovin' girlfriend of mine's birthday is coming up and I promised I'd go to the mall with her to help her find a birthday outfit. I really had no intentions of finding anything, let alone buying anything, since I haven't been there in so long and have become quite accustomed to strictly 2nd hand shopping. So I thought heck - I wonder if I can put together an outfit strictly from the mall...that I actually LIKE. It was especially difficult because there is no F21, Gap, or H&M at this mall. So I stuck to the teeny bopper stores.

A few observations! First of all, everything is divided so strangely in these stores. They're arranged by style, so the sections are like "hippie," "clubbing," "preppy," etc. And - SO GOOD! - a lot of them are now carrying larger sizes! Duh, glad you caught on to real female shapes, guys.




As for yesterday, Bettie and I went thrifting in Cleveland. We only made it to a couple (and in one of them we got there 5 minutes before closing and both managed to find a few things! Talk about serious shoppers) but it was a nice relaxing day, complete with a visit to my favorite Chinese joint! Bettie has promised a post featuring some of the pictures we took, so I'll just let her do the talking! Oh, and we've got a Flickr account up and running if you'd like to take a gander. There's a photo on there of the outfit I wore the day I met with the ASL lady, the one I posted about here, that I didn't blog. And a snap of The Mysterious Bettie, too!

Oh, and more things going into the shop tomorrow, so watch out!