Current purchases

Like I mentioned in my previous post I went to Forever 21 yesterday.

Always give yourself a lot of time when shopping there so you can thoroughly check everything.

Not only do they offer the latest fashion pieces for a great price, but you should always keep your eyes opened for their Yellow tag deals.
These are special promotional prices on current seasonal items, but act quick because they are for a limited time.

This basic pencil skirt was Yellow tagged for $7! I got it in a wine color for Fall.

Cropped Lace top $17.80 - I love this cute little top!

Fabulous Find item: Striped tank $3.80 Great for layering with almost everything

3/4 Length Crochet Tunic $19.80 Very 70's Twiggy - not my usual style, but it fits well and is a good texture piece.

Costume jewelry is also a good thing to get there. They are pieces you do not intend on investing in, but something fun and trendy to help brighten up an outfit.
I look for pieces that are heavier in weight and sturdy.

Woven Oval Chain Necklace $7.80 - Turquoise is one of my favorite colors.

Spirited Beads Necklace $7.80 - This multi-layered necklace will look great in the Fall.

We decided to stop by Delia's (which I usually never go into to) and the sales girl informed us that they were giving away $10 gift cards just for trying on a pair of jeans.
The card was for $10 off a purchase of $25.
They were obviously promoting their jeans so on top of receiving the $10 card you could also buy one pair of jeans get a 2nd pair for half off! And you could use the $10 card in conjunction with the Buy One Get One promotion.

I did not end up buying any jeans, but I did find a cute top for only $9.99!

How to Recognize High-Quality Clothing

Went to the mall yesterday and stopped by Forever 21. I did not intend to buy anything, but it is so hard to resist that store. I have found some great items there over the years and they actually last! You just have to know what to look for.

People often think just because an item of clothing is "cheap" that the quality is bad. But a brand name and a high price does not always equal high-quality.

Here are the signs to look for to recognize high-quality clothing:

1. Fabric

Inspect the fabric whether the garment be cotton, gauze, silk, linen, wool, twill, polyester, velvet, and so on. The fabric should have been cut and sewn on the grain. Patterns and stripes should match all over the garment. Not run against each other.

The fabric should also hold its shape fairly well if you grab a handful of it, bunch it together, then let it loose.

Grab the fabric at the seams with both hands. Gently pull it. If the thread in the seams pulls apart a bit, they're not sewn properly. The seams should be reinforced and the thread should hold securely.

2. Seams and Hems

The edge of seams and hems of a high-quality garment are always sewn straight. They are also "finished". They are never left "raw". This special application prevents the seams from unraveling. Seams and hems should also be pressed so they lie flat.

If a garment has a hem that's at least two inches wide, that's another indication you are buying the best clothing available. Wide hems allow the clothing to be easily altered, if need be.

3. Fasteners

Any buttons, hooks, et cetera, on the dress, skirt, suit, blouse, slacks, et cetera, should be sewn on securely. Check the garment for loose buttons and other fasteners. The button holes in a high-quality garment are often bound with thread for durability. Zippers should also move freely up and down without hesitation.

4. Trim

Any trim that a high-quality piece of clothing has should be sewn on securely. Gently pull on the trim at different places to test it.

The trim should also complement the garment in color and in style.

5. Linings

No matter what type of fabric the linings in suits, blazer, and jackets are made of, the material should be dense and opaque. If the lining was properly sewn into the garment, it will not be tight. Instead, it will hang with a bit of give so it doesn't rip or tear.

6. Shoes

The best quality shoes are, of course, made from leather. Don't always trust the look, though. There are many types of fake leather that look like the real thing. Always check the tags on the shoes to find out what they are made of.

Check the seams to make sure they are sewn straight. They should also be durable, and not pull apart easily.

Grab the sole and the upper part of the shoes and gently tug them. The sole should not come away from the upper.

Emblems, designs, and other trim should be securely attached to the shoe too.

Read the whole article here.

Dark Matters

Halloween is one of my favorite Holidays. Jenny and I usually hand-make our costumes and we are usually part of some sort of team. Last year I was on my death-bed in Beijing, but the year before that we dressed up like characters from the Rugrats and in 2008 we were Aaahhh!!! Real Monsters

This year I want to be something darker and more gothic.

iwantyoumagazine.com

O'ren Ishii - Kill Bill


Laura Lainey

Summer

I love the look of the smokey eyes with the bleach blonde hair. I have been dreaming of bleaching my hair for the past 5-6 years now, but I know it will never look like this so I won't even go there.
The older I get the more I am liking the summer season. I use to be a Fall person, but there is something about the casual fashion that I am starting to really get into.
The over-sized drapey tops with the micro shorts and sky-high wedges. The beach hair, the bright colors, the fun nails, my beloved ankle bracelets and toe rings!











Most of these photos are from one of new favorite websites: Wildfox Couture

WILDFOX COUTURE is an American Vintage-inspired women's knitwear brand. Combining great style and unsurpassed quality, Wildfox has quickly gained a following amongst celebrities, trendsetters and top retailers worldwide.Childhood friends Emily Faulstich and Kimberley Gordon are the creative force behind Wildfox. Inspired by sleepovers, beautiful books, fairies, dreams, vintage t-shirts and their friendship, the young designers gave birth to a brand based on love and having fun! Things had gotten too serious in the world of fashion, and it was time for a change. They created their t-shirts for every person, soft, baggy, bright and fun. Together with musician Jimmy Sommers as CEO and President of Wildfox the brand was officially established in Los Angeles in 2007. Today, the girls spend their time visiting vintage shops and working out of their Silverlake-area design studio - where they wear their hearts on their sleeves and spread peace and love through design.

All the photos on their site are amazing! And it makes me want to buy everything...and have long hair!

Chair bench

Snuck this photo at my local Anthropologie of two chairs they converted into a bench.
This is such a simple and cute idea.
I will definitely try this when I move into a bigger place.

DIY: back yard bench

WOW! Check out this amazingly well done DIY project from Tres Chere

They took this simple corn-hole platform

And with a little creativity and less than $50, turned it into this back yard get-away!

DIY: Mercury Glass

Found this awesome tutorial on 7th House on the Left on how to make your own Mercury Glass.



I may try it on this $20 Ikea lamp

Summer Sale!

I should have started this blog a few weeks back when all the Summer Sales were in full effect. Every year there are usually two big sale events. One after the Holidays and one in the summer when stores are getting rid of their summer merchandise and getting ready for fall merchandise. These sales are the best because they usually occur in the middle of the season when you can still wear those items.

I've learned from my many years in retail that the best way to find the best deals is to be friendly to your local sales people. That's not so hard is it people?!?!...apparently it is for a lot of people.

I make sure I listen to their schpeel because in that short few seconds you will find out all the best deals that are going on in the store at that time.
And if you are friendly and don't brush them off they will probably tell you what items in the store are the best bargains.

In my local Gap store I found 5 pairs of jeans that were all the most currently fits and styles for less than $5 a piece!!!
Not only were they already marked down to an insanely great deal they were also running a promotion for an additional 50% off their sale items.

Most of the time they will bring out new items for the following season that are almost identical to items that are currently in store and are marked down for the current season.

Black legging jeans

A few pairs of skinny jeans - mostly lighter/Summer washes

Trouser jeans that were introduced at the beginning of the Summer season, but are going to be a big for Fall.

J.Crew also ran an additional 40% off their sale merchandise the past couple of weeks. Just make sure you try them on because their sale items are Final Sale.

It was a good time to pick up some linen v-neck tees and jewelry from them.

The local big name department stores will also have a sale to purge their inventory and some will even have an Anniversary Sale where they give customers a sneak peek at the next season's merchandise at a discount - Nordstroms is currently having theirs.
And everywhere right now they are having back-to-school deals.

And again, if you are nice to your local sales people they will give you the 411 on up-coming events.

Next weekend Gap, Banana Republic and Old Navy are having their Friends & Family event Aug. 4-7 where you can save 30% off your entire purchase.