July 2017 – Page 4 – Blue Collar Red Lipstick

Month: July 2017

17
Jul
2017

Tales From The Thrift: July Encore

Another month, another round-up of thrift finds, with bonus Calgary stuff thrown into the mix. I had pretty good luck this month, and spotted a bunch of cute-but-not-for-me pieces as well. Vacation thrifting was a bit of a bust, but the hometown scene more than makes up for that. Plus, at the end of this month I’ll be heading to Vancouver again, so I’ll get another chance to treasure hunt in new grounds.

We have a lot to cover, so let’s get started!

I like doing these collages because it gives you a sense of the spectrum of brands you can find in our local thrift stores. Basically, it’s anything and everything.

Two cute dresses, both passes for me. I adored the colour of the Club Monaco dress on the left, but it fit very poorly around the hips. The colour of the dress on the left does nothing for me, and the style is not really my thing either, but it’s a dress that would be fantastic on the right person. The brand is made in Canada, and sells for $$$ at Blu’s, so keep an eye out for it, ladies.

I love the cut of the Talula Kent blazer, but this one was too tight in the shoulders.

I have been searching high and low for a particular Vanessa Virginia blouse, but no luck. This one was cute but no cigar.

A beautiful cut skirt suit, but sadly a couple of sizes too big for me. Also, my work dress code is about to become a lot more casual, so a full suit is not something I really need these days. For $8, I hope someone picked this up.

Cute pumps in like-new condition, but too small for me.

This is not my current style, but I loved all the details. Very old skool Anthro-esque.

Another too-small Talula Kent blazer. The colour, while beautiful, is also not within my colour palette.

Cute coat but too gamine a style for me.

I loved this sweater so, so much, but the colour – gah! It makes me look green around the gills.

This dress was NWT, if I recall correctly, and I can see why. The fit … oof. I have no idea what body type this would flatter, but it ain’t mine.

Cute dress, not my thang. Still had the tags on. $168 seems ridiculously high for this.

Another cute dress which did my hips no favours.

Cute dress, but that flounce is not my (current) cup of tea.

Does anyone else remember the outfits that Bob Mackie used to design for Cher? This might as well be a nun outfit by comparison, but it was cool to see this retro callback.

Left: Jeoffrey Caoc; right: Ett Twa (??)

A couple of cute tops I passed on. See, I DO have some self-restraint.

Remember my old no-Anthro-left-behind motto? Those were the good old days of … um … 2016. I left this behind; too “girly” for my current style.

Left: Charlie Jade; right: French Connection

These tops were also cute but not memorable enough to make up for the fact they were polyester.

Snakeprint is a no-go for me; otherwise this Joie sweater would have been a winner. Can’t have too many sweaters.

Leopard print is another no-go for me. It’s always a sad day when I have to pass on a Cartonnier blazer.

This Rebecca Taylor jacket was a bit more worn than I like, plus I wasn’t sure I could easily incorporate it into my wardrobe so I passed.

I was intrigued by this top. It had interesting design details, some of which looked expensive, but the hand-feel wasn’t right. All the tags had been cut off, but I googled it out of curiosity. It’s a Zara piece. The quality makes a lot of sense, knowing that.

Oh, to be a few years younger and/or a lot cooler! I have nowhere to wear a dress this funky and short, so I left it behind. Someone else will give it a good time, I’m sure.

Left: Hei Hei; right: J. Brand

I passed on the J Brand skinnies on the right because, although the colour was perfect, I have enough. Yes, you read that right. I didn’t buy something because I decided I had enough of a particular thing. Mark this one down for the history books.

I did buy the Hei Hei pants because they’re technically *not* sweatpants but sure feel like it. I am sure they will come in very handy one of these weekends.

Gah, I loved this top so, so much. I had been wanting a “marigold” top for ages, and I would have bought this in a heartbeat (even with the sheer-ish back), but the neckline was too low in the front. I was pretty bummed out about it, but my restraint was ultimately rewarded … to be continued below.

From top left (clockwise): J. Crew skirt; Pleione top; Deletta top; Cartonnier jacket

A few Calgary thrift hits. The only thing I bought from the above was the ivory Cartonnier jacket.

Yep, my consolation prize. Same brand, but a slightly different style. It’s kind of annoying that you can see my bra in the back, but I can live with it; the sweater is quite lightweight, so I can layer it under blazers for work if need be. Also, with a nude bra, it’s not at all see-through, I promise.

I don’t normally bother with H&M, but this colour is hard to find, and I liked the plainness of the top, so I bought it. It will be a nice complement to some of my statement (print) pieces.

I also love the simplicity of this Oak & Fort coat, which you have already seen in action. It’s a nice grey, and it will be perfect for early fall (and cooler summer mornings).

14
Jul
2017

Palm Springs: What I Bought

categories: Shopping, Travel

So, it turns out that I have a lot to say about Palm Springs; all of my recap posts have been lengthy, but hold on to your, erm, tablets and phones because this one is going to be extra epic. I have a lot of thoughts about shopping. Quelle surprise, non?

Thrifting

Let’s start with the obvious. Surely, you didn’t think I would not use this opportunity to check out a new thrift scene? As if. The first store we drove to (after stopping to get water & snacks) was Goodwill. Predictable is my middle name.

First, the good. The Palm Springs area has a ton of thrift stores (as well as consignment stores). A TON. Most of them are conveniently clustered around Highway 111 between Palm Springs proper and La Quinta. As far as I could see, the main “chains” are Goodwill, AngelEyes Thrift, and Revivals, but there is a healthy smattering of smaller thrifts as well. It would probably take 2-3 full days to check them all out, and my husband had other plans in mind, so in the end, I only went to 3 (one in Palm Desert, and two in La Quinta).

Now, the not-so-good. Prices at Goodwill are slightly higher than back home, especially when you account for the exchange rate. I was not blown away by the selection, though the AngelEyes store I checked out was slightly better than the 2 Goodwills. It would not be fair for me to generalize based on such a small sample, because a thrift scene can vary wildly based on location even within the same city or geographic location. Still, I was kinda disappointed. I did not see a lot of designer brands, even though there are a ton of high-end stores in the area, and the pieces that I did see were in pretty poor condition. It is entirely possible that I missed the “good” thrift spots in the Palm Springs area, which only more research would reveal. Next time!

Here’s a look at some of the pieces I spotted.

Cute print. Too small. Sad face.

This is an Anthro brand, but not my style. The condition was not great either.

I love this brand, but these flats were too small for me and rather worn.

Oh, Juicy Couture. Good times.

I’m glad the kids didn’t see this because they’d be insisting we take it home.

This is probably the weirdest thing I’ve seen at a thrift store. The Goodwill had a whole stash of these. Funnily enough, the “game” is made in Manitoba, Canada. Very strange.

I recently saw this same top at my local consignment store for $18. Here, it was something like $4, but the condition was pretty terrible (stains, etc.).

This would have been a good find, but it’s not my personal style.

I did end up buying one thing: a white button-down shirt from Uniqlo. It was in pristine condition (looked unworn) and it’s one of those “closet basics” every fashion magazine always talks about (which I don’t currently own), so I figured it was worth US$7. I also bought a 100% cashmere John W. Nordstrom sweater for my husband.

Palm Springs Night Market

Everyone told us to check out the night market, which takes place in Palm Springs every Thursday, so we did. As June is the off-season, the market was smaller than usual, but it was still a fun experience. The stalls were pretty typical of farmers’ markets and the like — street food, handmade soaps, artefacts, jewelry, etc. I didn’t buy anything, but I didn’t really mind; it was a gorgeous night for strolling and taking in the sights. We did try some custard ice cream, which — SPOILER alert — tastes just like regular soft serve.

Grocery Stores

This may seem like a weird category for my American peeps, but trust me — it was one of the best parts of our trip. See, you lucky guys get all sorts of foods that we don’t. Different flavours of chips, candy, soda, you name it. I tried La Croix for the first time (meh) and Trader Joe’s large offering of healthy-ish snacks (love). We also hit up Whole Foods and Walmart, where I bought a package of jelly donut-flavoured Oreos for my bestie. One of her hobbies is collecting (and sampling) Oreos from different parts of the world. My travels don’t take me as far afield as hers do, but I’m pretty proud of this offering. Also, my husband bought this t-shirt at Walmart for $5, and I have only one word for it: amazing.

Overall, my impression was that, while the selection was different (better) than at home, prices were comparable — and, in fact, higher after factoring in the exchange rate. It’s probably not fair to compare, say, Superstore and Trader Joe prices, but the same trend was evident at Walmart as well. This surprised both of us because we were expecting things to be cheaper in the US, as traditional lore would have it. It was the reason I didn’t binge buy any drugstore make-up, which made me really sad. I was really looking forward to stocking up on cheapie lip balms.

Premium Designer Outlets

If there is one thing I would change about our trip, it would be the decision to go to the designer outlets north of Palm Springs. I would have enjoyed that 4 hours better by the pool, to be honest. Now, don’t get me wrong; the outlets offer a veritable cornucopia of designer labels, some of which I was super excited to see (Mulberry, AllSaints, Vince, Theory, Nordstrom Rack, etc., etc.). The problem was, again, the prices. There were simply no great bargains to be had for those of us shopping with Canadian dollars and used to the Edmonton thrift scene (ahem, yours truly). I saw a ton of gorgeous pieces, but the prices were in the hundreds of dollars for brands I can regularly find back home for far, far less.

For things I can’t find as easily here, like designer bags and shoes, I didn’t have much better luck. None of the designer shoes I liked at discount outlets were my size, and I did not like the quality of the bags at stores like Mulberry. They felt cheap compared to the bags I have at home.

I did end up buying one thing at the Saks Off Fifth store — this MPC dress:

The brand is not familiar to me, but I liked the unusual design which looks a lot more elegant and less athleisure in person.

TJ Maxx & Marshalls

I also checked out a few TJ Maxx and Marshalls stores in the area (there are a handful scattered around). I didn’t spot any big-name designer stuff; the selection was similar to that at an average Winners back in Edmonton. I did end up buying a few gifts for family there. As with grocery stores, prices were comparable (in absolute dollars) to home, which meant that there were no phenomenal bargains to be had.

El Paseo

I had no intention of hitting up the “fancy” shopping strip in Palm Springs, but I ended up stumbling upon it by accident. Apart from thrifting, the only shopping goal I had in mind when I left home was finding some discounted Alexis Bittar pieces. My local Holt’s has stopped carrying their pieces, and I am not aware of any other local stores that carry the brand. I adore Alexis Bittar, and this makes me sad. I wanted to treat myself to some goodies but … no dice. I wasn’t able to find any at the outlet mall, or the Nordstrom Rack off Highway 111, or any of the TJ Maxx, Marshalls, etc. As a last resort, I decided to check out Saks Fifth Avenue, which happens to be located along El Paseo.

My plan was to be strategic and go in for the “kill”, so to speak, but I ended up getting distracted by the Anthropologie store located right next to Saks, and then running out of time because it was Saturday afternoon and the stores closed early. Sad face. So, no Alexis Bittar for me, but I did pick up a couple of things at Anthro:

And that is all of my Palm Springs shopping. I do love the pieces I ended up buying, but they did not add up to a memorable shopping extravaganza or anything. I remember the first time I went shopping across the border, some 10 years ago or so, and there is no comparison between the two experiences. A decade ago, there were tons of stores that had not yet opened their doors north of the border, and prices in the States were very attractive. Shopping at the Nordstrom Rack in Seattle back in 2008? Be still, my heart. Nowadays, there are very few brands that are inaccessible to Canadians, so some of the thrill is gone. We have so many discount shopping options, including thrift stores, that match US prices or even beat them. My main takeaway was a newfound appreciation for my hometown shopping scene; we have it pretty good here. Anyone want to come visit?

13
Jul
2017

Palm Springs: What I Wore

categories: style, Travel

I have been getting better and better every year about not over-packing for my travels, be they for work or pleasure. That trend continued with this trip. I wore all of the pieces that I packed, and had only a couple of regrets which I’ll share in a moment. The nice thing about Palm Springs, and what made choosing a travel capsule a cinch, is the weather; in June, you know exactly what you’re going to get every day: hot, hot weather. I took one jacket, one pair of jeans, and one light sweater with me for the flight, because I get cold easily on airplanes; the rest of the “capsule” was otherwise made up of the most summery clothes I could muster. Light layers pack easily, so I left home with a half-empty suitcase (which included some of my husband’s stuff as well). Were it not for my toiletries (and space for potential vacation shopping), I could have done this 4-day vacation out of a carry on.

Let’s have a look at my vacation OOTDs.

Jacket, Club Monaco (thrifted); tank, Joie (thrifted); jeans, Frame (via consignment); shoes, AGL (via consignment); bag, no name (consignment)

This was my plane outfit #1. White jeans on a plane? You may well wonder; my husband did. But here’s the thing; I was traveling without kids, which is half the battle. Also, I really wanted to wear my new Frame skinnies, and they go well with this Joie tank which is light and airy and perfect for hot weather. I figured that white would be better than regular denim or black jeans once I landed in the desert. I layered a black sweater over the top on the plane, because I don’t mess around.

I brought along these AGL loafers because my feet also get cold on the plane; I didn’t expect to wear them during my vacation, and I was right, but they were a good choice for the flight.

Rather than pack a regular purse plus a carry-on, I used this funky carpet bag-like holdall. It’s bigger than a tote, and smaller than my usual carry-on suitcase. It fits a ton of stuff in there; the downside is that it can easily turn into a “black hole” which is not great when you’re fishing for your passport. I don’t know what brand it is because it doesn’t have a visible logo, and I bought it from my fave consignment store. It was something like $35 and it looks like it’s going to hold up really well. Definitely a keeper.

Dress, Joie (via consignment); hat, Aritzia; shoes, J. Crew Factory

I wore this outfit on our first evening in Palm Springs, for dinner and a trip to the Night Market. Of all the dresses I packed, this one was best suited to the climate. It’s the most lightweight silk, which is perfect when the temperature is 100 degrees Fahrenheit at 10PM. The sandals are my trusty pair I take on every “hot” vacation; they are indestructible and super comfortable. I wore them every single day.

Top, Mango (thrifted); shorts, Winners; necklace, Stella & Dot (thrifted); hat, Aritzia

This was my “day” outfit for Day #2, when we hit the Joshua Tree National Park. Not a great outfit for hiking or outdoor adventures, but I knew that we would be doing most of our sightseeing from the car so I just wanted to be comfortable and as cool as possible. And by “cool”, I mean “not hot” of course. I’m not sure that acid washed denim cut-offs are cool by any other definition. They were actually a last minute addition to my suitcase (as an alternative to wearing the white jeans from the plane), but I’m glad they came with me. Palm Springs is too hot for pants. Hashtag: kidding not kidding.

Dress, Moschino; shoes, J. Crew (thrifted)

I wore this on the evening of Day #2, when we went for a stroll in Old Town La Quinta. The dress is one of my faves, and its vibe suited the location, but it was a wrong pick for sure. The dress itself is silk, but the lining is polyester. Black polyester. I might as well have been wearing a garbage bag for all of the sweating that I did. No bueno. The sandals were also a mistake. One, they are too high to be comfortable for extended walking. Two, they were too dressy.

Palm Springs is hella casual. I had never been to California before, so this was something of a revelation to me. Like, it makes sense because of the climate, but still — so, so casual. I stood out a mile away in this outfit. And that is even *after* I took off all of my accessories. That’s the other thing I learned: no need to bring accessories like necklaces, etc. Didn’t end up wearing most of the ones I brought, because no one else was wearing any.

Dress, Numph (via consignment); hat, Aritzia; shoes, J. Crew Factory

Day #3 outfit. I wore this when we went to see the Salton Sea, and it was perfect for a long car ride.

Dress, Vanessa Virginia (thrifted); shoes, J. Crew Factory; bag, Coach (thrifted)

Day #3 evening outfit. Yes, this dress has sleeves, but it’s made from cotton, so it was OK for the weather. Being a loose fit, it’s pretty airy. Let’s close in on the bag for a moment because …

close-up on my bag charm (anthropologie)

… how cute is that key chain/bag charm thingie? I bought it at the Anthropologie store on El Paseo (the fancy shopping strip in the Palm Springs area) and had to immediately attach it to my trusty Coach bag (the only bag I brought with me). I’m not a huge fan of bag charms but I couldn’t resist this one.

Top, Theory (via consignment); jeans, Frame (via consignment); shoes, AGL (via consignment); necklace, consignment; bag, consignment; hat, Aritzia

Last we have my second plane outfit. Again, I wore a black sweater over the top during the flight itself and after landing at home. The weather in Edmonton was nice, but +26 feels a little on the chilly side after +45. It’s all relative, you know? I added the necklace only because I had brought it with me all that way and had not worn it yet. The Palm Springs airport was pretty deserted so my accessorizing did not draw any attention, hah.

Now, you might say that this isn’t much of a “capsule” since I more or less wore something different every day, twice a day. But there was reason behind the madness. One, I used the same shoes and bag throughout the trip, which cuts down on packing substantially. As I mentioned, I wish I hadn’t bothered with the high heeled sandals; I could have done the whole trip with 2 pairs of shoes, and even that’s only because I needed closed-toe flats for the flight (damn my poor peripheral blood circulation!). Two, I packed a LOT of one-piece outfits, AKA dresses. Summer dresses take up practically no space, so packing 5 of them was no big deal. It also meant that I could wear something fresh every day and not worry about sweat and laundering. [There was one extra dress I wore on Day #2 when we drove out to the outlet malls, but I didn’t take a photo of it.]

Things I packed that are not pictured above: 2 bikinis, one cover-up (which I didn’t really need because the pools were a 2 minute walk from our room), PJs, and various unmentionables.

Come back tomorrow for my final post on Palm Springs, in which I’ll be tackling where I shopped and what I bought.