18. The Last Thrift Of 2011.

Before we get on to the thrifting, does anyone remember one of my recent posts "Forget diamonds, sales are a girls best friend" ? Well, they really are. I quite enjoy the store 'Cotton on' as their clothes tend to be quite comfy and relaxed. I had a quick look in there today as they had sales sign up and brought the following skirt for only $2! I was a bit surprised at the price, so inspected it before double checking the sale price was right, there was no flaws and it really was only $2. Needless to say I brought it. Not only was it a bargain, but it's my favourite style of skirt.

I love skirts with elastic waists like this and nice, comfortable material. They're perfect for my style as I love to tuck things in and this means they can be essentially paired with anything - blouses, singlets & t-shirts. I especially love pairing them with singlets as they then appear as a dress. Anyway, on to the thrifting:

Stripe Top - $2.

Okay, not exciting at all but sometimes it's nice to have some basics. I'm a great fan of nautical-inspired outfits and hopefully will be able to locate a bottom half to give this a more nautical flair. The shirt itself is nice fitting and in perfect condition, I don't think it's ever been worn.

Sheer Blouse - $4.

Before we go anywhere, yes, this shirt is massive - it actually basically reaches my knees.  It also has a long slit in either side which goes to the bottom of my underwear. The sleeves are also very long, almost reaching my wrists while I think they're suppose to be 3/4 sleeves or even half sleeves. There is no sizes or labels on the shirt so I have no idea what size it actually is.

Despite the fact that it's a massive shirt, once tucked in it appears to be of a loose fitting size (which is what I wanted). It's very likely I will shorten the hemline of the shirt (as atm there is a lot of material to tuck in) and either shorten the sleeves by removing some material, and then rolling and stitching them to create a cuff or altering them in some other way so they are shorter. 

While on the rack it does look somewhat navy blue, however, on & simply laying on my bed it appears more black. If you look at this inspiration post I made about sheer fabric, I'm sure you can understand why I instantly had to have this shirt.

I hope everyone is enjoying their last few days of 2011!

REVIEW: Positive Anniepopshop Ring.

Back on December 15th, I posted on my tumblr about discovering the above ring and how I wished to order it. I thought I would do a quick, very positive review of it for anyone else interested in ordering from Anniepopshop. The image above is from their website.

Basic Details.

Items ordered: Gold Serpent Nail Ring.

Date ordered / paid for: Late 15 / 12 / 2011.

Date posted: 19 / 12 / 2011 (apparently it is not posted until the payment is cleared and the payment did not show up as being taken out of my bank account until this date).

Date received: 21 / 12 / 2011.

Postage: Anniepopshop currently only posts to Australia for which she charges $3 for. However, she has provided her email dress so that customers outside Australia can email her in regards to what it would cost to have something shipped to them, and assumedly, work something out. You can read her postage & handling guide here.

Packaging: I received the ring in a small padded postal bag (images below), the ring itself was simply in a small plastic bag within it. The bag was simply placed in my mail box. There was no damage to the bag itself or the contents.

Total cost: $5 for the ring & $3 for shipping, total - $8.

The Ring.

Above is the postage bag I received my ring in. I'm assuming that it is pretty standard unless the jewellery you ordered is particularly large. I was very happy with the postage arrangements and have no issues with them at all. Below is the plastic bag the ring came within.

Now, please excuse my next photos as my camera is no where as good as the one used by Anniepopshop, however, I would like to say the ring looks exactly like it does in the images they posted.

Overall Opinion.

I am incredibly happy with this purchase and have no issues with it what so ever. Based on this experience with Anniepopshop, I have no trouble suggesting them. The shipping was prompt and I received an email informing when it was shipped as the website stated I would. Everything was in good condition and looks exactly like the pictures featured on the website.

I have worn the ring twice now (I always wear it on the finger I am wearing it on in the pictures, as that is the best fit for me) and both times have received compliments on it. At first I was worried that the ring would not be secure and that it would get lost, particularly because the first time I wore it, it was to a club involving alcohol and wild flailing dancing, however, the ring did not even budge.

The ring itself is not adjustable, thus if you have large fingers I would suggest to think carefully before purchasing the ring (and possibly email asking dimensions etc). It fits comfortably on my hands, however, I am quite a small person. An adult woman I spoke to tried it on and had quite larger fingers then me and could not wear it. On another note, the shop owner does not make this jewellery, instead she purchases it and resells it so you cannot ask for a larger make etc.

The ring also only comes in the colour pictured, however, googling 'snake nail ring' revealed various other colours from where you can buy in bulk. There are also far more expensive options to purchase this ring (ie. $160) which you can see here. The rings are different, but the basics are the same.

Overall, this has been a wonderful purchase / transaction. There has been no stress what so ever and I am left entirely happy. If you have any questions feel free to contact me here or through my tumblr ask, here.

WARDROBE ESSENTIALS: That Little Black Dress.

It's a saying everyone has heard - ever girl should have their own little, black dress - so let you tell you a bit about mine first.

I thrifted the above dress last year for $4, only to later discover a Supre label to my surprise (I generally find the store unappealing to my personal tastes). To be honest, had I found this dress in the store I probably would not have tried it on, figuring it would look poorly on me, however, something thrifting has taught me is that you can find an amazing wardrobe piece in a shop / label / etc that you wouldn't expect.

Since it's purchase, this little black dress has proven to be invaluable for numerous reasons, including:

1. It's simple.
   Sometimes simple is better - you don't have to worry about matching colours or patterns, you can just pop on some complimenting shoes and accessories then be off.
   
2. Black is a flattering colour.Black is universally accepted as a flattering colour. It doesn't clash with skin tones or hair colours, and tends to disguise shadows that may be cast by lumps / bumps / buldges / whatever that may be cast by your body thus creates a more flattering presentation of your body. Colours are usually associated with words as well (ie. the colour red may be associated with passion, the colour white associated with purity). Black is usually associated with being 'sexy', something particularly useful if you intend to wear your little black dress out to a club or similar event.
   
3. There's so many variates.
   There are so many style / cuts / designs / whatever of little, black dresses that you're bound to find one that is not only appealing to you, but also flattering and in your price range.
   
4. It's versatile.
   This means you'll have a lot more options to create your coordinate and also means that it's easy to create a new coordinate with it that looks entirely different. For example, my favourite two coordinates with this dress is the above picture  (usually with a necklace of some sort) and the second one is over red tights and large, stompy black boots complete with buckles (The closest example I could think of is Demonia).
   
   As my dress is also quite tight and short, I also have worn it tucked into a pair of shorts for a more casual look. While it looks like an ordinary plain t-shirt from the front, the back has been replaced with lace.

17. Forget Diamons, Sales Are A Girl's Best Friend.

Now I'm a strong supporter of thrifting, however, this does not mean I completely ignore retail shopping, rather I shop very strategically there -forget diamonds, sales are a girl's best friend! The bag above is from Crossroads and retailed at 49.95. However, for some reason or another everything in the shop (and online) has been reduced to $19.95 or less (even better, as the Crossroads I went to is located in a small local shopping center, nearby clothing stores are having competing sales too). Crossroads is also having a "12 days of Christmas" event, and every day leading to christmas have a different sale, ie. Free shipping online, $10 off all shorts, selected dresses reduced to $9.95 etc.

I picked up the above bag as I have nothing similar and I really love the buckle pouches on the front. I was quite prepared to pay $19.95 for it, however, when I got to the counter I discovered it was only $9.95. Needless to say, I was thrilled.

So, to sum things up: Thrifting is not the only way you can get good deals on items. Also, I'll probably be doing a post about strategically shopping in retail sometime soon. I'm very excited for the after Christmas sales / New Year sales!

16. Thrifty Fourteen.

Today I did something that it felt like I hadn't done in ages, I went on a proper thrift hunt (I know I did a bit of thrifting here, but it was very rushed). I decided to reward myself for all the work I've been doing lately and ducked into the local lifeline, and boy did I pick a time to go in! There was so many attractive items there all for a price I didn't mind paying (unfortunately, they didn't look so attractive on me). In the end I settled on 4 items, coming to a total of $14. This is a break down of each item (all photographs are before they have been ironed / washed):

White Lace Tank Top - $4.

I really do love lace (to see lace-featuring fashion I have collected on my tumblr, click here) and have admired similar tops like this for a while., although they had a much heavier price tag. Usually this heavier price tag puts me off purchasing it because I'm still not quite sure how to coordinate it. When I showed my mother, she agreed it was pretty but thought that it deserved to be worn over a cami. While I agree with this, I've yet to figure out a way to wear it over something with taken away from it's overall image (if you have any idea, please, really, please, share it with me!). I'm seriously tempted to wear it alone, or perhaps purchase one of those tube-like tops to wear under it.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that it is actually made in Australia by a brand called 'Fine Lines'. The only thing I can find through google is a lingerie brand, so I've no idea of what kind of store it is really from. The top itself is a 14 so hangs loose on me (which was something I wanted). It has a beautiful scalloped edge which really appealed to me.

Navy Tank Top - $2.

This tank top is from Portmans. A 'basic' singlet from their online store is priced at $25, so I'm assuming this would be a bit more new. I've often felt I have a lacking zone in my wardrobe - Top wise, I largely wear t-shirts or button up blouses / mens shirts and don't really have any 'dressy' tops - I feel this shirt will help me bridge that gap. This shirt was actually the first item that I picked up, and I was very happy with the fit. It's actually an 'xs', so I was surprised it fit me so comfortably.

While the neckline looks reasonably high (okay, it's no turtle neck but it's definitely no scoop neck), the gaps between the silver are actually see through as demonstrated below, making it a bit more interesting.

Yeah, the colouring in the above (webcam) photograph, I had to have my lamp on me so you could actually see the detail.

Jeans West Dress - $4.

I get a very 'western'(ish) feel from this dress, and was a particular fan of the crochet and the beads (they are, after all, the main centre piece of the dress). As you can see below the dress is quite short, so I may instead wear it tucked in to some pale blue denim shorts or with something underneath. I'm kicking myself for not buying cowboy(ish) boots when the opportunity presented itself, however, I think I'll wear them with the pair of boots also pictured below.

The above boots were from Payless and on sale for $19 earlier this year (or possibly late last year, I can't remember).

Cotton Blazer - $4.

This is easily my favourite purchase of the day. Not only is it a beautiful colour, it's comfy, has cute buttons and shoulder pads! I've already worn it out once over a plain black shirt + skirt (styled to look like a dress). I just adore everything about it!

15. Thrifting Meme.

I copy & pasted this from the tumblr called 'second-handed' and filled it in with my own answers!

1. Why thrift?

Not only was it something I was brought up with (my grandma loves thrifting, although hunts down antiques / knick knacks rather then clothes, my mother is quite similar to this as well), but I'm a bit of a stinge and hate spending unnecessary money. I just cannot comprehend spending crazy amounts of money on items of clothing (as well as other things), when I could get the exact same thing for a lot less either minus the brand name or via thrifting. I wrote a piece on why I enjoy thrifting so much here.

2. Best thrifting experience?

I have a few 'best thrifting experience'. Apart from purchasing FF7 for $8, my other thrifting experiences all relate to shoes. These include the tall boots mentioned in this post, the doc martens mentioned in this post, the white wedge sneakers mentioned here and the greyish oxfords posted here.

3. Worst thrifting experience?

I don't have any crazy bad thrifting experiences, mine are limited to issues with pricing etc, ie. stores charging the same price that you could buy something new for, stores charging a high price for items that are obviously damaged etc when they are particularly suppose to be targeting the price range of those who are less advantaged ( a lot of the stores near me at charity related etc).

4. Craziest thing you’ve ever found?

I'm kind of sad that I haven't found anything crazy. The weirdest thing I've seen was actually something on a shelf a few days ago, it was an upturned lid of a show box filled with various lumps of rocks (and nothing fancy either, these were sandstone / run of the mill rocks you could find anywhere).

5. Favorite thrift find to date?

This is a really, really hard question. If you refer to question two it talks about some of my 'best thrifting experiences' so I would probably have to say one of those finds mentioned there probably fills the category of my 'favourite'. I really don't think I could choose one though.

6. One find you didn’t buy but wish you had?

I'm actually pretty happy to say that there really anything that I think falls into this category. There was a red blazer that I adored a few months ago which is now gone, however, I don't know if I really, really wanted it. I would have brought it, but it came in a three-part set thus was more then I was willing to pay.

7. Favourite places to thrift?

I usually thrift at my local Lifeline, Anglicare or Salvation Army. Since these are chain stores, I love seeing them at different places. However, throw me into any thrift store and I'll enjoy taking a look.

8. Tips for thrifting?

You can see my top favourite thrifting tips here. I think my two biggest tips are keeping an open mind and trying everything on!

9. Currently hoping to find?

Anything cat related or relating to one of my favourite fandoms / bands (ie. Doctor Who, The Amity Affliction). I'd also like to find a few more cardigans / oversized sweaters, however, as it's going into Summer here I don't think I'll be able to do that for a while. I'd also like to find some cute purses etc, particularly brown leather-looking ones.

INSPIRATION: Kuro Lolita.

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Now, I know I mentioned this in my review of Bodyline's Rocking Horse shoes, but I am a huge fan of the style of fashion known as 'Lolita'. This style of fashion has numerous substyles and one of my favourite is known as 'Kuro Lolita'. While this substyle follows the 'rules' of the fashion, it features coordinates that are solely one colour - black (the opposite being Shiro Lolita which is all white).

While I'm sure some of you may feel that black on black is boring, I believe when well done it can look very nice (as I guess, can anything). This post features some of my favourite Kuro coordinates. While I do not have the wardrobe to dress in such a manner (oh how I wish I did!), black is a staple colour in my wardrobe and I can always use new inspiration in how to wear it

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RANT: Smart Casual.

There are two words that I absolutely hate to hear together, the first being ‘smart’ and the second being ‘casual’. I absolutely dread attending events that select ‘smart casual’ as the dress code for a number of reasons, although the top three would have to be:

1. Wear a nice shirt.

I always get advised to “wear a nice shirt and jeans / skirt” to a smart casual event. I don’t even know why people would think this is helpful advice because I happen to think all my shirts / jeans / skirts / whatever are nice, in fact, that’s why I wear them in the first place. Despite this, if I turned up in my Comedian shirt (yes, I am a huge ‘Watchmen’ fan) I don’t think anyone would be too impressed.

2. The smart casual continuum.

There are varying levels of smart casual dress and I never seem to hit on the right one for the event – I always feel too overdressed or underdressed. I’ve also noticed that it is a rarity for a majority of the individuals at an event to be at the same level of ‘smart casual’. Usually you can always pick out the individuals who are slightly too overdressed or those who are underdressed. In most cases, I am either slightly overdressed or I am wearing an entirely different style of ‘smart casual’ then everyone else.

3. My wardrobe is basically empty.

Okay, in reality I have a huge amount of clothing, in fact, some may say too much, however, when someone tells me I am required to wear ‘smart casual’, I draw absolute blanks. Not one single outfit instantly jumps out at me going ‘pick me, pick me’. It takes a frustratingly long time for me to decide on an outfit.

Now this may seem a rather odd topic for me to rant about, however, I am attending an smart casual event with my partner in a week time, the event being his cousins engagement party. While I have met my partner’s immediate family (Mother, father, siblings) (and not only like them, but have been received warmly and with approval), I have not met any of his extended family and am quite nervous about this thus I would like to make a good impression. Some people may find it silly to worry about something like this, however, let’s face it, it’s nice to know that your partner’s family approve of you. Since I’m probably not going to be an amazing conversationalist that night (I’m generally quite shy around people I meet), I’d like to at least look nice.

Now according to Wikipedia (obviously the most reliable source of information), smart casual dress for a woman is defined as "slacks or a skirt (long or short), a blouse or turtleneck, a fashionable belt, a jacket, a vest or sweater coordinated to the outfit, hosiery or socks with boots, flats (leather, suede or fabric) or mid-heel shoes" which may be complimented by "jewellery, such as earrings".

Taking that definition, I decided to look into my wardrobe and see what I could come up with. Now, while the term slacks refers to trousers, I only own one black pair that are not jeans and these are ones that I purchased to wear while performing waitress duties while on work placement for hospitality. This lead me to cross that off the list and move on to skirts. My skirt selection was equally depressing with the grand total of two of them being short and black (one being covered in black lace and the other somewhat representing a tutu). I don't own any turtle necks and I only wear grandpa sweaters. My blouse selection is rather varied, however, a majority of them are oversized rather then being neatly cut. I don't wear belts at the best of times and the ones I have tend to be adorned with studs. My small collection of vests make me either represent a pirate, a member of a marching band or a waiter, I do however have a few nice blazers.

In the end I was left with the conclusion that I shall either be attending naked, or with only a blouse and blazer on. To be honest, neither of these options particularly appeal to me (what a surprise!). I personally found the definition of smart casual as one geared to an individual older then myself and therefore of little help. I'll probably be going through my wardrobe in the next couple of days in the hopes of creating an outfit, so except some degree of an update (also, more then welcome to post any helpful links / advice / whatever).

While I'll probably take the easy way out and pair a dress with a blazer and some mid-height heels, I'll still spend hours debating with myself (and my wardrobe) about what to wear. In the end, I'll probably wear the first outfit that I put together, regardless of the 347387439734 outfits I try on afterwards.

14. Vaguely Victorian!

I went to the shops with my mother to get some groceries this morning and she had to stop at our local thriftstore to donate some items. We had a quick look inside because my mother wanted to buy some photo frames and I picked up these boots for only $10! (In fact, I didn't pay a cent for them because my mother offered to buy them as she was getting my sister something). They're from a brand called 'Pinet' / by 'Verona shoes' (it says both of these inside the shoe, so not quite sure what is what). They have leather uppers.

They strike me as very Victorian looking which is what attracted me to them (plus for some reason I can picture a Witch wearing them, haha). They are a bit scuffed and have some dirty marks on them but I think I'll be able to clean them up a bit. I'm kind of excited to pair them with something, although I'm not entirely sure what. At the moment I think they're either go over some tights or paired with a dress.

INSPIRATION: Oversized Shirt Transformations.

From Little Miss Paint Brush.

I really love oversized shirts and I wear a lot of them when I'm just going to university. I discovered my love of big shirts because I found I often really liked the designs on male shirts (ie. I found some shirts with 'Watchmen' characters on them that were only available in large mens, however, I just had to have them). While I usually I just pair them with either a pair of tights (particularly 'jeggings') / skinny jeans and cute shoes, I've been thinking of other ways to wear them and in particular, alter a really big shirt I want to wear which you can see here. Due to this, this inspirational post is a bit different as it has a few DIY ideas thrown in!

• The first idea that that I saw is a video by MissJenFABULOUS on youtube. It's a very simply video that involves cutting the neck off an oversized shirt / sweatshirt in a 'boat-like' fashion so that it can be worn off the shoulder. You can view it here.
• The second idea is a photographic walkthrough into making a 'tunic' like shirt with very large armholes, found here.
• Another youtube video here, this time turning an old shirt into a crop top. Put together by SweetBambini.
• Another DIY youtube video, this time turning shirts into crop tops. You can find it here. The author, Macbarbie07, also has a few ideas on how to wear the crop top after.

While I dislike the above shirt has a whole, this is sort of the style I'm thinking about using for my Oblivion shirt here.