Fashion Conscience

One Scarf at a Time

2010-11-17T22:48:00.007-07:00

I was recently contacted by the lovely folks at Cambodian Threads. It thrilled me to learn about the company and to have a new friend in the fashion world. Cambodian Threads provides fair trade silk scarves made by the Heng family in Cambodia. This family of artisans practices the ancient craft of hand weaving silk in a sweat-shop free environment. Because of the great skill and time that it takes to craft each of these one of a kind scarves, the family is only able to produce 50 a month. These exclusive scarves range from $15 (on sale) to $26 (full price). They are very affordable, high quality and beautiful.

Through the support of Cambodian Threads, the Heng family has been able to turn their craft into a livelihood. For each scarf that the company sells, they purchase school supplies for ten Cambodian children. Cambodian Threads keeps a simple website that has a brief description of the company and its vision, scarves are also available for purchase on the site. The founders of the company have a fabulous blog that has detailed descriptions of their travels in Cambodia, the Heng family and the members of their village, pictures, and updates about the company. The stories are detailed, interesting and very inspiring and are worth a read.

Cambodian Treads was kind enough to send me a blue-gray scarf and I am completely smitten. It is light weight, drapes well and is perfect for spring, summer and fall weather. My roommate and I are going to put together a little photoshoot with the scarf, so come back soon for pictures! And visit Cambodian Threads to get yourself and every one on your Christmas list a special and affordable gift, that gives back!

Clean and Dry

2010-07-08T08:47:00.009-07:00

I love dry shampoo! I have a very busy schedule and do not always have the time time to wash and dry my hair in the morning. Dry shampoo or hair powder is the perfect solution for girls on the go who want to keep their hair looking and smelling fresh and clean. Dry shampoo works wonders on long road trips, music festivals, and traveling in general. Here are a few organic and natural alternatives (some of which I have tried).

Lulu Organics makes a Hair Powder that is USDA Organic, Oregon Tilth Certified Organic and Talc free. The company creates all products using raw materials from fair trade co-op in Iowa. The packaging is vintage inspired, cornstarch-based and biodegradable and absolutely lovely too boot. There is also a travel size available for $9.50. I can't wait to try this product!

$40

I personally use Federic Fekkai's Au Naturel Dry Shampoo. It is made without parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, petro-chemicals, and phthalates. I like that it is scent free, when I tested some of the other dry shampoos at Sephora, I found the scents to be too overwhelming.

$23

Another option is Gentle Dry S hampoo With Oat Extract (Non-Aerosol) from French company Klorane. The company is dedicated to plant research and use with non-endangered plants and with cultivation that is easy on the eco-system. This dry shampoo is formulated without parabens, sulfates, synthetic dyes, phthalates, GMO and triclosan. It received Allure's Best of Beauty Award for the category of dry shampoo.

$18

A Slender Instrument Used for Making Holes in Cloth

2010-05-20T08:34:00.014-07:00

One of my readers recently educated me about the wonderful world of Bodkin. I immediately began to explore the line and discovered beautifully crafted clothing made of sustainable materials. The aesthetic of the company is described as "architectural modernism: Good, smart design. With comfort at its core". The clothes are all made in the US using sustainable fabrics like post-consumer recycled polyester, salvaged textiles, organic cotton grown in the US and weaves from collectives in India. In 2009 the line was honored with the Ecco Domani Sustainable Design Award. The founder Eviana Hartman has done everything from working as a fashion journalist to playing drums in a band. She brings an incredibly diverse and versatile life experience that shows in each of the line's garments. The pieces are intelligent, convertible and unexpected (take a second look to discover subtle details). Below are some of my favorite pieces from the Autumn/Winter 2010 and Spring/Summer 2010 lines. All photos by Tina Tyrell.

Autumn/Winter 2010

Drapes to die for. I want to know where I can get a pair of these shoes!

Assymetrical pleating.

Hood!

A feminine pocket detail is the perfect touch to this tomboy look.

Spring/Summer 2010

Great bunching at the bottom of this simple pullover.

A lilac shirt dress with an unexpected slit at the waist!

The perfect jersey dress.

Sweat pants that are acceptable outside of the house!

Genes or Jeans?

2010-04-29T08:36:00.011-07:00

My old roommate and good friend recently sent me a link for charming website featuring eco-conscience denim. I was thrilled, because denim with heart and soul can be very hard to come by. Monkee Genes were developed by Road Team, a company based out of the United Kingdom. These jeans are sweatshop free, made of organic cotton with no pesticides or chemicals used. In July 2008 Monkee Jeans was given the Soil Association organic standard and the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). You can read a brief explanation of what this accreditation means here, but I suggest going to the Soil Association website to find out more. My favorites from the line are the Light Bamboo Supa Skinny and the Inky Black organic denim Supa Skinny and Skinny Jeans (both seen below). Hope you enjoy this new adventure in jean shopping!

Vintage Shopping Advice

2010-03-25T09:12:00.002-07:00

I was reading an interview of Emily Schuman (the girl behind Cupcakes and Cashmere) on Danapop, and I came across some great advice for vintage and flea market shopping. I have devoted several posts to vintage, thrift and Ebay shopping, and I realize that it can be intimidating to sift through piles of stuff at flea markets and thrift stores. I hope Emily's advice helps you all conquer your fears!

Danapop (dp): I’m a horrible shopper at flea markets or stores where a lot of sifting and sorting through bins or unorganized racks are involved…what can you recommend for someone like me to look for at flea markets?

Cupcakes and Cashmere (c&c): I would say that you should think about what it is you’re looking for prior to showing up to shop. For a newbie to vintage shopping, start with boots, belts and bags since figuring out your sizing with clothes takes a while. Also, when in doubt, find a stylish girl and keep an eye out for the booths that she visits and the things she scopes out.

dp: What are key things to check out when shopping for vintage items?

c&c: I’d say quality is the most important thing since no matter how cute something may be, if it falls apart a week later, you’re out of luck (I learned this the hard way with a vintage Gucci purse that turned out to be fake). Always check the soles of shoes, the straps and closures on bags and all parts on clothing to make sure there are no rips or stains.

Shop 'til you Drop!

2010-03-04T14:18:00.007-07:00

Any girl or boy that loves fashion inevitably loves shopping! But what do you do with all those plastic and paper bags you get from every store? I always feel so wasteful walking around with five bags from each store I have shopped at. My solution has been cute reusable bags. I realize that this is not a new trend, everyone from Marc Jacobs to Gap has designed hundreds of cute reusable totes for fashion forward folks everywhere. I want to share with all of you some of my favorite totes! My absolute favorite is the Le Pliage by Longchamp. It comes in various sizes, shapes and colors, and folds into a small little square that fits perfectly into your purse. I carry the 121/4X12X71/2 inches because it is big enough to carry as an everyday tote too. I use it every time I travel and when I was in school, I could fit all my books in it. I also love the Want Organic for JCrew Mirabel day roll bag. It is made of certified organic cotton and sustainable leather from Norway. It rolls into itself so that it can fit into your suitcase or purse but it is large enough to fit a laptop, and it comes in four basic colors! I also love the classic boat and tote bag from L.L.Bean. It comes in four sizes and eight fun colors. It's a prep classic that will never go out of style, plus you can get it monogramed. What makes it even better is that it is made in the US (Brunswick, Maine). These classics (and any other cute totes you can find), will have you shopping in style for years to come. Now get to shopping!

Longchamp.com ($145)

Jcrew.com ($145)

llbean.com ($25-$38)

Bicycle Post #2

2010-02-16T20:18:00.005-07:00

I have a love for cute and fashionable blondes on bikes! So here are a couple for your viewing pleasure. I hope they inspire you all to ride in style!

I love the use of texture in her outfit from the lace-like scarf to her updated tweed coat all the way down to her worn leather bag. Plus, I want her basket!
Source: www.copenhagencyclechic.com

Look at that amazing poncho! I want one to wear when I ride my bike!
Source: www.copenhagencyclechic.com

A Few Days Late

2010-02-13T12:50:00.006-07:00

RIP Alexander McQueen. We all miss you. In memory I would like to highlight one of my favorite shows by McQueen: his Spring 2009 Ready-to-Wear Collection. He used a video projection of the Earth and lined the runway with stuffed animals, including many endangered species. The designs evoked nature through animal inspired prints and textures, and varied florals. In program notes he explained that he had been thinking about the negative affects of industrialization on our Earth and Darwin's theory of survival of the fittest. The message is so important and the collection has stuck with me. It is necessary that bold and relevant designers like McQueen use their art and talent to convey important messages to the fashion world at large. Read the Vogue review and view the entire collection at Style.com. Here are some of my favorite pieces from the collection:

Green is Sexy

2010-01-27T12:24:00.005-07:00

I discovered this neat new green website while reading the article about Rachel McAdams in the January issue of Vogue. I was so inspired by the way she lives her life, out of the spotlight, riding her bike or walking everywhere and living with the earth in her heart and mind. She and some of her closest friends started a website called Green is Sexy, to help educate people about lowering carbon footprints. The website is incredibly comprehensive,insightful, inspiring and absolutely adorable. I hope that all of you will go check it out and support the tremendous effort of these beautiful and sexy women. Go get sexy!

Bicycle Post #1

2010-01-08T01:15:00.004-07:00

Bikes! What is not to love? A fashionable form of transportation that is good for the environment and gives your legs a great workout (so they look fab in mini skirts)! My best friend Nick built me a beautiful 1972 Centurion a couple of years ago and it immediately became one of my favorite possessions. I often come across pictures of fashionable folks on their bikes and I have decided to start posting them here. Hope you enjoy the ride and much as I do.

This man is so adorable. The epitome of a stylish bike rider! I want a red satchel just like his for my bike. It is the perfect accessory and I love that he highlighted it with a matching red scarf.

Picture from Sartorialist

Etsy

2010-01-04T01:41:00.004-07:00

In an earlier post I mentioned different places to get second hand and vintage items. One amazing website I failed to mention is Etsy. This site is great because it is a much smaller scale than Ebay (meaning it is easy to search on), but still has a huge variety. You can shop for vintage, handmade, supplies or even shop by a seller's name. You also have the option of shopping locally (support your economy and the enviornment)! My friend Abby just recently started her own vintage shop called Leather Lace and Velvet Vintage (search the sellers for leatherlaceandvelvet). She has already added some pretty incredible items, including a vintage tank covered in wolves (which I am lusting after). Another fun thing about Etsy is that you can purchase one of a kind hand made crafts and even clothing. My friend Yu Yu is a clothing designer and sells some of her designs through Etsy. You can check her sweet duds out at FreeApples (again, search for this name under sellers). Enjoy the search!

Jade Nails

2009-09-23T08:46:00.004-07:00

Who What Wear just did a beauty post highlighting pretty green nails for fall. They listed several different brands of nail polish in varied shades of green. There were some great brands on the list including OPI and Chanel. Sadly, there were no Eco-friendly suggestions. But, have no fear, I have found several shimmering (and matte) shades from mint to neon green. My personal favorite is a pretty shade of icy mint from SpaRitual called Delight. I discussed this company in an earlier post because they carry nail polishes that are vegan, DBP, formaldehyde and toluene free and the glass bottles are made of 50% recycled materials. Another great choice is a vegan, water based nail polish from Suncoat called Apple Green (#21). No Miss also has a sparkly shade called Jenson Beach Jade which is Vegan, and does not contain, formaldehyde, toluene, dibutyl-pthalate or camphor. What a perfect way to go green!

Calling all Greenies!

2009-09-22T00:16:00.004-07:00

Samsung and service provider Sprint have released a new smart phone called the Reclaim. It is made from 80% recyclable materials and for every phone purchased a donation will be made to the Nature Conservancy's Adopt an Acre Program. It comes in two pretty colors: Earth Green and Ocean Blue and from what I have read has pretty good consumer reviews. There are also several eco-friendly applications available on the phone (although I am not quite sure what that means). If any of you have this phone, I would love to know what you think of it! Let's get to talking!

TOMS New Style

2009-09-14T15:42:00.004-07:00

TOMS Shoe Company just created a new style with laces! They include a more supportive insole and stronger outsole and look like super cute, casual oxfords! These cuties can be worn with or without the laces and are a fantastic alternative to sneakers. The shoes come in three different colors for women and men. This new style is called Cordones and if you buy a pair they will donate a pair of shoes to a child in need. I can't wait to order my pair in natural canvas with brown leather detailing. Start shopping!

Style Engine

2009-08-10T23:17:00.002-07:00

My blog was linked on Style Engine! Go check out the site! Shop around and check out my blog and other featured blogs under the friends link. Thank you Style Engine!

Gisele

2009-05-30T13:44:00.003-07:00

Gisele Bündchen has a fantastic blog to help raise awareness about social and environmental issues. Everyone should check it out, you can read it in English or Portuguese! It is exciting to see models using their fame for important causes.

Victoria Goes Green

2009-05-21T16:39:00.003-07:00

Victoria's Secret now has a line of beauty products that is organic, cruelty-free and vegan! The line is called Victoria's Secret PINK. Products range in price from $8 for lip butter (available in four colors) to $15 for body lotion (available in three varieties). Right now they are having some great specials on body lotions, body scrubs and body wash. Hooray for PINK!

WWWD and Toms

2009-05-18T15:34:00.001-07:00

Who What Wear Daily featured Toms today in their daily update. Check it out here!

Buy One GIVE One Free!

2009-04-24T09:25:00.008-07:00

My favorite pair of shoes at the moment are my bright red TOMS (pictures to be posted soon)! They were a Christmas gift from my adorable boyfriend and since the weather has warmed up I have been wearing them non-stop. TOMS is an extremely exciting company because for every pair the company sells, they give a pair of shoes to a child in need! They are a very simple design with great support and they are perfect the warmer spring and summer months! My pair are a bright cherry red, but they come in all assortments including, stripes, polka-dots, sparkles and basic colors like navy and black. They are available for women, men and babies. They even have vegan styles available. The website suggests that you order true to size but I found that I have to order half a size up. The company also makes adorable t-shirts and onesies for babies that when purchased are matched with a pair of shoes donated to a child in need. They have been featured in Vogue, Nylon, GQ, InStyle and the New York Times (to name a few)! G0 check out the website and support a company that is making a huge difference, one step at a time!

Teen Vogue Steps Up!

2009-04-20T04:20:00.003-07:00

I was thrilled when I recieved the May issue of Teen Vogue in the mail a few days ago because it's GREEN! The issue is full of stories about girls all over the country working to makes positive changes in our world. There are tons of suggestions for eco-friendly beauty products and clothing and lists of organizations, designers and websites that are participating in the move to make our world healthier and happier. Go pick up a copy!

Pearly Whites

2009-03-19T11:34:00.005-07:00

Every fashion forward girl or boy should have clean, beautiful teeth! Preserve is a company that believes in "Nothing wasted. Everything gained." They create home and personal care products from recycled products. I use their toothbrushes, made from 100% recycled plastic including yogurt cups. Each Toothbrush comes in a travel container made from recycled plastic. And the best part is you can "send the toothbrush and case back to Preserve using our postage-paid label to be re-processed into plastic lumber for picnic tables, boardwalks and decks." Get to Brushing!

The Slow Bicycle Movement

2009-03-14T09:03:00.005-07:00

The Slow Bicycle Movement celebrates the use of the bicycle as a "normal" mode of transportation to get to work, school, the movies, the mall, the market, etc. They have a facebook and a blog encouraging people to ride their bikes and enjoy the view of the world around them. This movement is in connection with other slow movements including (but not excluding) Slow Food, Slow Company, and Slow Retail. If you want to read more about The Slow Movement check out The World Institute of Slowness. I was browsing around the Slow Bicycle Movement's blog and found some really cute merch. This was my favorite:

Front and back of a very cute tote for carrying grocerys or books!

A Peace Treaty

2009-03-12T16:07:00.003-07:00

I found this amazing company, A Peace Treaty on my friend Eric's Facebook (he modeled for them). A Pakistani Muslim and a Libyan Jew created an accessory company to create employment "for skilled artisans in places of socio-political strife." The company also donates to Counterpart International, an organization that helps bring medical supplies to Dafur. Here are some of my favorites from the 2008 collection, And they are having a SALE!:
Babylon
Makkan
Ishtar
Tira
Niani
Borderlines Yellow (It's Eric!)
Let's get wrapped (so cheesy I know)!

Stella Goes Vegan

2009-03-09T22:54:00.005-07:00

Stella McCartney sent vegan legging boots down the runway for her fall 2009 RTW collection! It is exciting to see vegan footwear options showing up in major runway shows. I think this bodes well for those of us in search of animal friendly shoes that are fashion forward. Even though legging boots are not quite my thing I love the collection, especially the divine over-sized blazers with drop lapels! Tell me what you think.

"Green is the New Black"

2009-03-06T07:01:00.003-07:00

This article (it's short) from the Huffington Post gives us all more reasons to shop vintage. I hope this inspires you all to go out and discover vintage shops in your area. If you would rather look online try Ebay or vintagetrends.com. Goodluck!

My favorite thrifted blazer...

2009-02-07T11:06:00.010-07:00

My boyfriend (Will) and I went out to our favorite bar (Congress) when I was home over Christmas Break. Here is what we wore:

I am wearing: my favorite navy thrifted blazer,
Michael Kors grey sequined beanie, Betsey Johnson
Dress, navy tights, and my JCrew boots (made in Italy)
Will is wearing: American Apparel Navy hoodie
(made in USA), American Apparel grey v-neck t-shirt,
Marc by Marc Jacobs cords, and TOMs navy shoes

A Better view of my outfit

A farewell kiss for you all...

Second Hand Plaid

2009-02-01T22:19:00.007-07:00

I scouted a few folks (Sartorialist style but without the great photography skills) and asked them to pose for me. Each one of them showed a fun and fashion forward way to wear a plaid shirt bought second hand!

Girly (Plaid purchased at Goodwill)

Glam Rock Meets Western (most of the outfit
was purchased at Buffalo Exchange, where he works)

Grunge (Plaid purchased at Goodwill)

Down to Earth

2009-02-01T09:49:00.004-07:00

Check out the latest post from Atlantis Home (this is one of my new favorite blogs). It features a home with lots of organic, natural and most likely recycled materials. It really inspired me and made me wish I lives in a beautiful "hut" such as this one!

Organic Cosmetics for All

2009-01-24T00:57:00.003-07:00

Investing in Organic and Eco-friendly cosmetics is a great way to lower your carbon footprint, but can often be extremely expensive. What's a poor girl to do? Physicians Formula has just answered all of our prayers, with the release of their Organic Wear line. All the packaging of the line is completely recyclable (including the mascara wand) and all products are cruelty free and Eco-Certified. Best of all, everything is available at drugstores nation wide and websites like drugstore.com at affordable prices. For the most recent products added to the line, such as mascara, lip gloss and a two-in-one bronzer and blusher, head to physiciansformula.com.

Polished Thoughts

2009-01-06T05:56:00.005-07:00

I was thrilled when my mom came home from the salon one day with a little bottle of perfectly pink nail polish in hand and announced that she had found me vegan nail polish! SpaRitual is the only company I know of that has created a line of vegan and eco-friendly nail polishes. The company uses Vegan ingredients such as specially sourced and selected plant essences that are wildcrafted or organic. And its products are naturally colored and free of synthetic dyes, toluene (a petroleum-based ingredient), formaldehyde (a cancer-causing chemical), and dibutyl phthalate or DBP (a chemical shown to cause birth defects). SpaRitual also prints all its materials in recycled paper using soy based inks. If you want to have pretty fingers and toes and avoid all the toxic chemicals that are harmful to our bodies and the enviornment, I would highly suggest picking up some SpaRitual polish to take to your next manicure or pedicure! My favorite shades from SpaRitual are: Surreal (an alluring shade of navy), I Feel The Earth Move (a rich shade of chocolate brown), Too Hot To Handle (a sexy shade of classic red) and Airhead (a perfectly pretty light pink)! Get to painting!

I was tagged...

2008-12-07T15:47:00.003-07:00

by the lovely Julie of Sixes and Sevens!

Seven thing about me:
I like lima beans.
I love androgenized dress.
My favorite composer is Mozart.
My favorite opera composer is Massenet.
I think Edward Norton is absolute perfection.
I don't like the cold.
I love Tucson!

People I would like to link: Deep in Vogue, Le Blog de Betty, It's Her Factory, My Head is Full of Soap, Molly Likes to Draw, The Mo and Minikille dressing, Enjoy Your Worries

Fresh Apples

2008-11-15T11:35:00.007-07:00

My Mom visited me a couple of weeks ago and we went to some apple orchards around Indiana. We got bags of honey crisp apples (most amazing, delicious apples on earth), fresh apple cider, and apple pie. We also got some butternut and acorn squash (which I will be using to make dinner tonight) and a baby pumpkin which we used to make fresh pumpkin pie. I got some local honey for my allergies. All organic, all local, all deliciously fabulous. Here are some pics (I am not wearing makeup and I look a bit scary, sorry).

I am wearing: an American Apparel hoodie, Paper Denim Jeans, white high top Chucks, a JCrew puffer vest and my favorite thrifted clutch (from Lauren Kingston of course)

My adorable Mummzy is wearing: J Brand jeans, Three Dots shirt (bought second hand), Banana Republic sweater, and Hobo International purse

If you are interested in this kind of adventure but don't know where to start, visit your local farmers market and ask the vendors about farms and orchards in your area. Happy Eating!

Ethical Fashion Awards

2008-11-14T17:36:00.006-07:00

Izzy Lane

The worlds first ethical fashion awards just went down in London. This is such a huge step towards worldwide conscious consumerism. This statistic thrilled me: "in 2007 a survey by TNS Global found that 60% of under-25s said they bought what they wanted, regardless of where or how it had been made. This year that figure had dropped to 36%..." I included links to the websites of some of my favorite winners.

Pachacuti

Diane Keaton

2008-11-13T17:22:00.006-07:00

This woman is absolute perfection. Of course, I fell in love with her during my first viewing of Annie Hall which became an instant favorite. She makes androgynous dress look completely feminine and incredibly sexy. Her wardrobe in Annie Hall inspired me to pair down my closet to neutral basics with masculine highlights like collared shirts and vintage blazers.

She has left me in awe once again, I just finished watching "Manhattan" and I have fallen in love all over again. Highlights in the film include a perfectly tailored tan blazer paired with an ultra feminine floral print dress, and a navy/black blazer with high-waisted jeans and a crisp collared shirt (the film is in black and white). On top of Diane Keaton's fabulous attire, the movie is full of clever Woody Allen banter and a completely romantic soundtrack.

For these reasons I will be vintage and thrift shopping this weekend with Diane Keaton on my mind. I will be on a quest to find a floral dress and a tan blazer to add to my collection. If you have not seen "Manhattan" or "Annie Hall", you absolutely must. I hope for inspiration for you all.

Ebay Tips:

2008-11-12T12:33:00.004-07:00

In one of my more recent posts I mentioned that Ebay was a great place to purchase recycled goods. I realize that shopping on Ebay can be very overwhelming and intimidating. For this reason I asked my best boy friend Nicholas Jett of Enjoy Your Worries (who is quite the Ebay expert) to send me his suggestions for shopping on Ebay. Here are his suggestions:

When shopping on Ebay, check a seller's "feedback rating" before buying. If a seller has sold 2,500 items in the past and their feedback rating is 99.5%, they are most likely a trusted and extremely experienced seller. Every now and then, however, you might run into problems with sellers like these (i.e. slow shipping due to high volume of items sold, poor communication, etc.). For the most part though, these are the best kinds of sellers to buy from because of how experienced and reliable they are.

If a seller's feedback rating is low (like 66%) and/or they've only been involved in 4 transactions before, be weary of buying from them. People often sign up to sell items on ebay for short periods of time in hopes of scamming as many ebay members as possible. It can be unfortunate for new members who've never bought or sold anything on ebay before because other members sometimes approach their business with skepticism. Occasionally, sellers will ask that their bidders have at least 1 positive feedback rating before bidding on their item to prevent fake or problematic bidders from tampering with their auctions. Likewise, buyers have also completely abstained from bidding on multiple great deals because the seller was a new member that had a rating of 0. Don't let this stop you from signing up though: once you buy/sell an item or two and begin to establish good feedback, buyers and sellers become more than happy to work with you. Besides, it's not all that common for sellers to ask that you have prior buying/selling ebay experience anyways. Feedback is what establishes trust between buyers and sellers and is therefore the best measure of honesty and ensuring good service that Ebay can offer.

Another good thing to do when shopping on Ebay, is to check which payment options a seller offers. This varies from seller to seller. Paypal is always the most secure option and also the most common. Go to paypal.com for an explanation of how using a credit/debit card with paypal works. If a seller only accepts a check or money order, be cautious and contact them before using this option. If they only accept cash for some reason, do not bid on their item.

If a seller/store has multiple items that you're interested in, ask the seller or check their shipping options to see if they offer combined shipping. There are a lot of great deals on Ebay that can be ruined by high shipping costs. There are also a lot of sellers that specialize in selling certain types of things (i.e. antiques, books, memorabilia, etc.) and there's a good chance that they might have an assortment of things that you'd be interested in if you've already found an item or two of theirs that has sparked your interest.

To get an idea of how much things sell for on ebay, you can check "completed listings" from the search options page to see how much an item has sold for in the past two weeks (the amount of time each item is archived on ebay). Check the "completed listings" box and then search for a style of video camera or another item that you are interested in so that you know how frequently the item is listed on ebay and how much it typically sells for. Some items, like a specific type of camera, might be listed a dozen times each week while other items might only come up on ebay once or twice a year, in which case, you might not find a record of (if it was sold more than two weeks prior to your search).

There is also a helpful option that allows you to search for items being sold "worldwide." If looking for a French book or a Japanese painting, you might want to use this search option which will almost always yield more items than the typical search comprehensive of items only located in the U.S.

Also, when searching for an item, keep your keywords relatively broad. If searching for a cell phone, (in which case you might get a list of 10,000 items), it's best to type in the name of the manufacturer and the model, although it's not necessary to also write "cell phone" (for example, "Verizon 4.0"). If searching for a record or CD, it might be best to just type in the band's name, rather than typing in the specific record since sellers often list items using vague terminology and a broad search will always yield more results which you can then sort through. If searching for a bike, again, type in the manufacturer ("Masi") and leave out the model name, year, etc. Some of the best deals found on Ebay are from using broad searches because sellers sometimes fail to provide good item descriptions. As a result, things that should sell for a lot more than they do, can sell for much less because a lot of potentially interested buyers typically search for items using only specific terms.

Lastly, try not to get addicted to Ebay. Believe it or not, it's pretty easy to do. If there's something that you're looking for that may be rare or hard to find, it's a great source to track things down. If your eyes are bigger than your pockets, on the other hand, it may not be the place for you. Whatever the case may be, enjoy it; it's a great resource.

I also liked the post on Sea of Shoes that includes many suggestions for shopping on Ebay. Good luck!

A Dream Realized

2008-11-05T05:35:00.002-07:00

Yes We Can!

Because you have a voice

2008-11-03T19:08:00.002-07:00

If you have not already, vote tomorrow, November 4!

Recycle, Reduce, Reuse

2008-10-24T11:05:00.005-07:00

Recycling is one very important way to cut down on personal waste. Since most of us are in a constant state of updating our wardrobes, it is important that we keep the earth in mind while we are filling our closets with new duds. This may sound intimidating, but there are several easy and fun ways to recycle your wardrobe. If you are lucky enough to live in a city with a Buffalo Exchange, head on over and trade in your unwanted clothes for clothes that others have recycled or just walk out the door with cold hard cash (you can get paid to recycle! pretty sweet!). You can also donate your old clothes to thrift stores and in some states you can get tax returns for your donations. Thrift and vintage stores can be sources for one of a kind, amazing and cheap purchases. Another place to find great vintage goods is at estate sales. Or, take a note from Karla of Karla's Closet and explore your local flea markets. Another great recycling center is eBay, you can sell your unwanted clothes and look for special stand out pieces from all over the globe. For great vintage finds on eBay, try Treasure Chest Vintage which is run by Rumi of Fashion Toast or try Liebemarlene Vintage. Enjoy Recycling!

Makeup Making a Difference

2008-10-22T17:57:00.006-07:00

I love mac cosmetics, not only because of their incredible variety of colors and products but also because of their desire as a company to make a difference. Since 1994 the MAC AIDS Fund has raised over $128 million dollars to help fight AIDS. They have a line of lipsticks and two shades of lipsglass called the Viva Glam line. All the proceeds from the purchase of Viva Glam products go directly to the MAC AIDS Fund. The Fund uses the money for grants and special initiatives. MAC cosmetics is also committed to helping the environment, for this reason they reward their customers for recycling with their Back to MAC Program. For every six packaging containers you return to MAC, you receive one lipglass or lipstick. I asked an employee what the company does with the recycled packaging, she told me they use the recycled materials to make play ground equipment for schools (although I am not sure if this is correct). The company also uses minimal packaging and vegetable-based inks for printing. they also use recycled paper and paperboard in their offices. This is a company at the forefront of popular cosmestics that is doing their part to create a better world. Some of my favorite products from MAC are mineralize skin finish and studio fix applied with the small buffer brush (which is also the perfect size for traveling) and the lip balm with SPF 12 (they usually sell these in seasonal scents and colors, which are always fabulous). Do it up!

My Favorite Panties

2008-10-19T16:56:00.020-07:00

I was introduced to these adorable panties by my Mummzy. Hanky Panky makes super comfortable, very sexy panties that are made in the USA. I prefer the low rise thong but if you like a higher rise go for the original thong, they also make a boy short that is very cute (although I have never worn this style). This company sources all their panties, bras, etc. in the US which means they did not have to travel as far to get to you (less fuel, less resources, healthy earth). They also make a thong from organic cotton (grown in the US without pesticides) and a thong for breast cancer awareness. I know they are pricey but I think they are worth the investment. I usually wait until Nordstrom is having one of their big sales and get them then or I ask for them for my b-day/Christmas (I have slowly built up my collection). They wash very well, I run mine through the washing machine in a lingerie bag and line dry them. My mom washes hers by hand with the Nordstrom's lingerie wash (a great eco-friendly alternative) and then hangs them to dry. Hope you enjoy!