Mending Things

I had found a super cute skirt on eBay that was the exact skirt in a board from Pinterest. 

I bid on it and won. The seller then messaged me to let me know that she found a couple holes and did I want to cancel. I said no, because I had plans… bwahahaha!

This is the skirt after I embroidered over the holes. So cute!

Would you have cancelled the purchase? 

I am trying to make do and repair so this was a way for me to keep something out of the landfill.

This is one outfit I have planned so far

What do you think? 

Peldyn

Seasons Change

Now is a good time to buy cold weather staples. Many store have them up on clearance. Anthropologie has many nice tops, sweaters, and layering pieces on sale. Sizes are getting limited so I had to order one top in a large. I will take it in. The style is simple so it will be easy. 

Will you be buying any basics on clearance or will you be looking for something more fun? Let me know in the comments.

Peldyn

Friday Finds May 14th

I was able to make another trip to the Victorville Goodwill with my friends Kim and Judy. It was just PACKED with bargains! Kim and Judy found so many household items they filled the back of my truck and we had to have help carrying it out! I am such a nudge and didn't take pictures while we were shopping. I DID have my camera on me but totally forgot! Strangely enough I found a whole pile of my own clothes that I had given to a neighbor and that she must have donated to the Goodwill. Kim bought one of my old skirts *giggle* Since it all goes to charity we are happy :)

So here is my haul!


Sage green blouse $4.49. I will need to replace the button loops, but that is easy, I have loop tape.



Boingo Brogue Oxford Shoes $5.99. These I plan on giving to my daughter Tarah, so cute!



Papaya Blouse with embroidery and beading $4.49.



Nicole Miller Shrug $2.00. This had an area where the crochet edge had all come undone. Thank goodness I can crochet! I fixed it right up as soon as I got home. It looks so sweet over the Papaya blouse.



Steve Madden Wedges $5.99. I normally would have passed these by, but Kim and Tom said to try them on and they looked so cute that I bought them. I have already worn them twice!



Eyelet Skirt $2.99. Perfect as a petticoat!



Green Shrug $3.49.


Black Embroidered Corset $4.49. This beauty needed a bit of work. It started out with horrible stained lingerie straps that I replaced with black velvet straps ala the Louis Vuitton corsets and the bow was also replaced as it was originally frayed white satin. Now it is nice black grosgrain. I also gave it a nice soak in oxyclean to brighten the white areas since they were all grey and yucky. Now it is beautiful and fresh! I can't wait to pair it with some new fabric I bought for a skirt (but more on that for another post).



Canisters $7.99. Yes, it is not clothing, but what great canisters!



Lastly are these Madden Girl brogues that Kim isisted on buying for me. I love them!

I also bought a lovely item for my friend Grrl, but it is a surprise so I can't let you all see it!

Now to let you see what Tom bought me for Mother's Day:

• Top- Anthropologie
• Belt- Anthropologie
• Skirt- American Eagle Outfitters via Ebay
• Shoes- Goodwill. Victorville

I love my new top and belt. They were both on super sale! The belt was only available in large, but a hole punch fixed it up.

I hope to make another thrifting trip next week. I really need shorts now that I have gone up a size. Wish me luck in finding some!

Pel

Friday Finds March 12th

Here is a lovely look from Charlotte Russe. I haven't shopped there lately and I forget what nice things they have!

A Touch of Pink by Peldyn featuring Charlotte Russe

Items in this set:
Belted Pencil Skirt, $25
Charlotte Russe - Ruffle Keyhole Tank, $10
Charlotte Russe - Buckled Woven Corset Belt, $8.49
Charlotte Russe - Crocodile Platforms, $15
Charlotte Russe - Striped Fedora, $13

Here now are a few pics of items that I have purchased lately. Thank you to my daughter and my friend Valerie for the gift certificates. I love you both!

• Plum skirt from Solanah on etsy.

Bad me, I sold a skirt and then turned around and bought one. At least the one I bought was cheaper than the one I sold, so I don't feel too bad!

• Grey Skirt from Solanah

This skirt was a free gift! Solanah is a real doll and I highly recommend her shop. I think it is in vacation mode right now, so when she opens it up again I will let you all know!

• Green Cardigan from Forever21

A great little mixer and it is GREEN. I really love green.

• Hat from Forever21
• ALDO Equia - Women's Shoes

More birthday gifts! I love the hat and shoes. I could just marry them! Well not really, but I am sure you know what I mean!

I have a couple more gifts, but I haven't worn them yet. I also went to Goodwill and spent a whole $16.00 on myself. Tom kept rolling his eyes and sighing the whole time we were there. I was only supposed to get a slip and ended up with a cashmere sweater, a Woolmark sweater and a lace blouse by Ann Taylor as well. I could have spent more than the 10 minutes he allotted me to be in there, but I guess it was safer that he pulled me out of there when he did. Who knows what kind of damage I could have caused to our budget! I will take pictures and you can see my largess next week.

Pel

Friday Finds Dec 4th

Forever21 gets all my loving today. While I shopped other places they were Yule gifts so I can not show them or the people I bought them for will know what they got! Same goes for some of the awesome things I got at F21. Sorry! But I can say that for stocking stuffers, check out their clearance section. They had an amazing selection of hair goodies *grin*

Now on with the show:


This is my new brown coat. I needed one to go with everything I wore that was not black or grey. At totally bargain at $48.90 I was going to spend almost $100.00 at another store. I am so glad I shopped F21 first! Notice the little floral hair pins, they have them in tons of styles and they come three pairs to a card for $5.80. You can gift them as is or break them up into single sets for stocking stuffers.



Watercolour dress was only $7.99 on the clearance rack. The fishnet stockings $5.80 and the hairband $7.80. I can wear this dress all year round with the right layering. F21 has lots of beautiful dresses right now on the rack. Someone on my list has one wrapped up, but I won't say who :)




A close up of the shoes. Oh my, I have been wanting shoes like these for a while. They are similar th Louboutin's Bloody Mary Shoe, but totally affordable at $30.99.



Since I had saved so much buying the brown coat when I saw the plum coat, I snatched it up. Toms was not really happy. He said I just lost any saving I would have made. But I figured I was going to spend $100.00 anyways and now I have TWO adorable coats and this one was only $45.00 so I still came out ahead! Okay so my reasoning was convoluted and Tom is probably right. I am such an impulse shopper!



Lastly is this red and black buffalo check top that was on clearance for $4.99 and the headband on clearance for $1.99. I feel so flashback 80's in this outfit, but in a good way!

Like I said, I got many other lovely things but they were gifts and so I can't show them. I plan on shopping some more at Forever21 for Yule gifts. They have such great deals on their clearance it is ridiculous!

Let me know where you are finding great deals!

Pel

Friday Finds Nov. 27th

This month has just whisked by so fast! I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We ate until we couldn't move and then went to sleep early so we could shop Black Friday. My poor head cold made this a rough shopping day for me, but I did it anyways. How else would Yule shopping get done?

Here are the lovely things I got online and at the stores this week. Forever21 did not fail me with many things at great prices. You will see more from them next week *grin*


Wine tie neck top $3.99 Forever21. A sweet retro style.




Navy cableknit turtleneck $3.99 Forever21. A fashion basic that I needed to fill a hole in my closet.



Bubble dress $5.99 Forever21. Yes, I am wearing a bubble hem dress. I am surprised too!




Grey sweater Take Three LLC on ebay $19.99. I wore this sweater for Thanksgiving.




Tan sweater Take Three LLC on ebay $24.99. Super cuddly and warm.




Red belt $6.50 Forever21. It goes with so many things!




Madden Girl shoes from Ross $11.99. These are so sexy.




Black belt $6.50 Forever21. Another great belt I will get lots of use out of.


I also bought those black leggings from Forever21 for $4.50 that I showed you in the article "Holes in My Wardrobe" I just didn't get a chance to take pics of them. I plan on wearing them with tunic sweaters and some of my dresses. Tomorrow I hope to get some sewing done and maybe a bit of dyeing. Hope you have a productive day as well!

Pel

Ebay.... How Do I Love Thee!

A while back I was in need of an entire, new wardrobe fast! Where did I turn to? Ebay of course! I was able to buy clothes in lots at a fraction of the cost of even thrift store clothes. I am talking nice things from The Gap, Express, J. Crew and so on.

For those of us who love fashion, but are having a bit of a cash crunch, Ebay can be a god send. It just takes a few tips to get the the most out of this bargain site.

1. Check out the feedback of the seller you are going to buy from. I stay away from anyone with less than stellar feedback.

2. Know what you are looking for. It helps to have a game plan when you start. I was looking for size 2 pants. I put that in the search box and added the word "lot" as a search term. I was able then to find incredible bargains from people selling pants in sets. I got a set of 5 pants in one of my lots for $15.00 and I paid for a flat rate box to ship them in. My favourite pair from this lot is:

White Velvet Jeans from Express.

3. Form a relationship with the seller. That way you may be notified when she/he gets new items in. The soft green cashmere turtleneck sweater in this picture I got after the one in the Ebay listing sold. The seller let me know she had another one, along with MANY other items that I purchased for a reduced price.


4. Watch out for shipping! Make sure to always check out a seller's shipping policies before bidding. That adorable item may not be such a deal if you have to factor in exorbitant shipping costs. I have seen designer jeans listed at $5.00 with $50.00 shipping. Look for sellers who combines shipping.

5. Don't get "caught up" in the bidding. You can get really carried away when you are in the throes of a bidding war. Did you really mean to spend $100.00 for that dress? No, I didn't think so. Set yourself a price that you would not go over and stick to it. I let this beautiful skirt get away from me last night because I was not willing to pay $70.00 plus once tax and shipping were factored in.

Gorgeous! But I am just going to try and make a replica instead.

6. Be aware of scams. There is a lot of fraud on Ebay. Make sure that you are protected. Only pay by Paypal or a credit card. Do not use a wire transfer ever! Pay for insurance if possible and if you do not receive your item make a claim with Paypal, your credit card company and Ebay. Do not delay and do not listen to any sob stories a seller may have. Time is of the essence for a claim.

I hope that these tips will help make your time with Ebay a bit easier and more fun. I know I wish I had know some of these when I started!

Pel

InVESTment Dressing

I have been loving the Fall trend of sweater vests, especially as seen in the 15th Anniversary issue of InStyle Magazine. Unfortunately the ones in the magazine were a little pricey and being on a shoestring budget I knew I could find something cheaper! So I hot tailed it to my favourite bargain destination Forever21 and they did not fail to please! While culling through the bargain racks I found not one, but two lovely vests!



Here is the Rose Embroidered Vest for $13.99. I paired it with a bow belt from Anchor Blue and a vintage tweed skirt. Picture taken in the cemetery of Mission San Luis Rey.



This khaki vest has a lace texture at the shoulders and seemed too good to be true at only $4.99! I made it part of a sophisticated color scheme of black, white and shades of brown/tan. I think the bougainvillea that grew around the pillars in front of the Mission look so beautiful.


Then I went to New York and Company and they had many sweater vests, but I honed in on this gorgeous argyle style in teals and greens. It is available in a brown and gold colorway, but the green hit a cord with me. I had to have it! The price was a bit more than I usually pay, but still less than designer prices, so I snatched it up. I got City Cash, woohoo! I will spend it at my next outing.



This is a striking vest and I played up the colors with a bold blouse, pumps, handbag and jewelry. I kept the skirt as the only neutral piece. I am on the street in Imperial Beach down the street from the Goodwill.

So three sweater vests added to my wardrobe at a minimal cost gave my basics added oomph! I am just mad that I got rid of all the ones I used to have from years ago. I never thought they would come back in style. Silly me! I will never make that mistake again :)

Pel

Friday Finds Aug 28

Yes (stands up) I am a shopoholic. I admit it. I have a problem. But what is a girl to do when there are so many awesome things to be had online and in the stores? Is it REALLY my fault? I blame the designers and advertisers for making them so gosh darn attractive! So here is my minor haul this week. And at least I have the satisfaction of knowing I did not pay an arm and a leg for these items. Most people would spend more on a night out at a fancy restaurant, and I have CLOTHES, gorgeous clothes to show for it!


Shopping online can be fraught with peril at times but my first experience with the online retailer, Modcloth was very pleasant indeed. I was also extremely pleased with the dress when it arrived this week. Well, that is an understatement. I was over the moon! I plan on taking a pattern off this dress and making myself a couple more *grin* Makes the price not as hard to swallow. At $47.99 it is more than I usually spend.


New Dress

Next was not really my fault. My husband had to go to Radio Shack and it is right next to Wet Seal. Now why would I want to spend my time in a stuffy electronics store when I could hang out in a dress shop? Of course I found a few things that I needed. Florals are big for this Fall so this long blouse fit the bill perfectly only $19.50. Since it was loose and flowy I needed a new belt to cinch it in for $9.50.


Friday Finds Outfit

The Bomber Jacket, also from Wet Seal, is fashion forward and will ward off the chill of the evening to a T! The price was a perfect selling point as well at $34.50. The tough look toned down the cutesy floral so it was not so sweet.


Bomber Jacket

Lastly is an adorable vintage crinoline that I got on Ebay. Just the thing to fill out my skirts and dresses and add that retro vintage look that I love so much. A real bargain at $24.50.


New Crinoline


Some great new additions to my wardrobe. I hope you found some great things for yourself as well this week!

Friday Finds Aug 14

This week was Back To School Shopping week so I first went with my daughter and granddaughters to Target to pick up what they needed for school. While looking at children's clothing with them I noticed this moss green cardigan.


Friday Finds Aug 14Originally uploaded by Peldyn

On a whim I tried on the largest size and it fit! Whoo hoo! At only $12.99 it was a definite bargain! It looks ever so nice with the new purse I bought from Tarah Kins she has a shop on ArtFire.


Next was Kohl's for clothes for my nephew and this adorable little skirt for me. I love the ivory embroidery that is all the way around the hem. It was on sale for $23.20. It is also plaid which is touted as being really big for Fall. This would also pair well with the new cardigan!


Friday Finds Aug 14Originally uploaded by Peldyn

Lastly I had to nip in to my beloved Forever21 where I found this navy and beige silk blouse with lace inset neckline for $22.50. Perfect to wear alone now and to layer over long sleeve tees and under cardigans later in the season.


Friday Finds Aug 14Originally uploaded by Peldyn

I also shopped from one of the jewelry designers showcased on Amazing Artisans. I can't wait until the earrings I ordered come in!

Now to have another cup of tea and look at ebay. I have a hankering for vintage :)

Lucky Magazine Styles New Trends for Etsy

Jackie Nasser of Lucky Magazine held a show in the Virtual Labs this evening at Etsy to showcase the new Fall trends. This was a great opportunity to let buyers see what was on trend and available for sale on Etsy.

Many people would not think of Etsy as the go to place for fashion. It has had the image of the crafter who sits at home knitting toilet paper cozies or makes tatty stuffed animals. Well this showing definitely blew that image out of the water. The clothes were very beautiful and up to par with what you would find in any small boutique.

Here are what the big trends to look out for are:

Plaids:

Look for them in skirts, blouses, blazers, shoes, etc.

Big Florals:

These can be mixed with solids or smaller florals in coordinating colors. Keep the jewelry simple so as not to overwhelm the outfit.

Jumpsuits:

This look is still around and can be hard to style. I found this lovely option that would look great with a blazer or with a blouse underneath.

Blazers:

Whether going retro with the menswear look or rocking the brights a Blazer is a Fall necessity. The styling options are endless and it will keep you toasty warm!

Brights:

Neon brights from the Spring are still around. Why just wear one? Tone it down with jeans and maybe a nice jacket. Or not? If you are young you can really rock this look and go for a bright mini!

Big Cocktail Rings:

What every woman needs gracing her finger, a big vintage looking ring. Luckily I have my grandmothers stash, but for those not as lucky Etsy has a treasure trove.

Statement Necklaces:

Large necklaces, especially in the bib style are making a strong showing. Etsy is the perfect place to get a one of a kind creation.

Menwear's Inspired Style:



You can't mention menswear inspired style without invoking images of Annie Hall. Such a classic look!

Long Sleeved Mini Dress

Wore with tights, leggings or maybe skinny jeans if you are not comfortable with your bare legs. This is a classier take on the 60's mini dress.

Color:
While nothing much was said about color other than the Brights that are listed here, many of us noted that quite a few of the picks that Jackie had were in purple hues. She never came out right out and answered the questions on whether purple was the "in" color for fall, but it is safe to say that you can not go wrong with plums and lavenders when paired with the seasons greys and golds.

Why shop Etsy for your fashion? As noted by Jackie, many Etsy shops recycle/upcyle or use sustainable materials in their garments. This creates less waste and is easier on the environment So you are being kind to Mother Earth! It is also becoming a trend to have a connection to the person who created the item you are purchasing. Where better to be able to do that than Etsy?

So I know I have now been inspired to start my Fall shopping. My favorites list is now a mile long! Thank you Jackie and thank you Etsy for this great opportunity.