If you buy only one pencil skirt this season....go eShakti

I was so flattered when eShakti approached me recently about reviewing one of their items.  I've seen their dresses on many of my blogging friends, so I already knew they have beautiful pieces!  
But I DIDN'T realize what a variety they have!  I came across this skirt and just fell in love!  It has everything that I really want in a skirt....pencil style, high waist and black!  Hello!  Hello! and HELLO!  I ordered it with the option of customizing the fit.  When I got it, it was a little big on me, but next time, I'll just take off a couple of inches from my measurements when I order.  The skirt arrived quickly, even given the extra time needed to make it to my specifications.
So I decided to keep with the Spanish vibe the skirt was giving me and go "Classy Ranchera"!

The waist rises just into my rib cage which gives such a great hour glass silhouette!  And how about that corset style detail!?

Blouse:  Vintage, Thrifted  Skirt:  eShakti  Boots:  Jessica Simpson via TJ Maxx (got them on clearance last year for a song AND they are over the knee!)  Hat:  Thrifted

I have so many other styling ideas for this skirt....

Denim shirt and my short vintage Nine West boots

Cropped sweater and my Nine West brown boots

White tank and strappy sandals in the summer

Silk blouse and black pointy toe heels

I found a similar skirt on their site that I may have to order!  Check it out here!
My sweet husband did a fabulous job taking pictures for me!  It was hard to narrow it down!

I'm linking up with Patti for Visible Monday.  Be sure to check out the other visibly gorgeous ladies!

I just browsed the website and it's AMAZING all the fabulous choices they have!  Their prices are already really reasonable, and with $25 off your first purchase, there's not much to even think about!

Testing blogging from my iPad

Blogger has an app in which I can post from my iPad. Curious to see the quality of the post, I thought I would do a test run.... Not a lot of options and no chance to preview, but we will see how it goes!

5 Reasons to Thrift (that have nothing to do with money!)

Sweet Bella recently did a post on shopping second hand.  It's brilliant in concept and execution!  And while most of us completely understand the financial benefits of thrifting, have you considered the benefits that have almost nothing to do with money?  
It's good for the environment. 
The effect of constant manufacturing of textiles to keep up with the demand of fast fashion has a definite footprint on our environment.  To read more about it, check out this article by the National Center for  Biotechnology Information.  

There's a better selection at your local thrift store

Seriously, there is!  Recently, I went to the local mall and left a bit frustrated.  Sure, beautiful things in every window; but for the most part, everything started to look the same.  I could go into Ann Taylor and see 15 - 20 unique items (for the time I spend in the store).  I can spend the same amount of time in my favorite Goodwill and never see a duplicate item!  I love the varied selection!

Access to unusual items

I'm so fortunate to live in such an ethnically diverse community!  On treasure hunts (thrifting), I've come across a wall hanging from Iran, Turkish slippers and a plethora of Indian tunics.  Even if I could find some of these things at a local retail store, chances are they wouldn't all be in the same store; or they'd be lacking in authenticity.

Giving to a good cause

Most thrift stores represent a charity.  Goodwill provides job training.  Salvation Army helps families in need.  Hospice Thrift provides end of life care to the terminally ill.  Cause for Paws helps find homes for unwanted or abused animals.  The list goes on and on.  When we shop at one of our thrifts, we are helping a good cause AND in many cases, also helping to provide jobs.

The vintage!!!

And now we're at what's really near and dear to my heart!  VINTAGE!  What's more beautiful than a piece that comes with a history and was loved by a kindred spirit from another generation?  Here are a couple of beauties I've found recently.....

Vintage turquoise earrings....Be still my heart!  I just adore these silver earrings.  Genuine silver and turquoise, I'll have these babies till I exit to the hereafter!

I found this hand made dress yesterday and just had to rescue it!  I believe it's all silk and the fabric is totally breathtaking!  I haven't decided whether I'll keep it or put it in my store.  If I do keep it, I can see shortening it to the knee (NOT above) and possibly shortening the sleeves.  I really don't do maxi dresses; but I just couldn't leave this baby behind.

So maybe you're rolling in the dough and money is no object when it comes to shopping.  I'd still challenge you to give thrifting a try.  Check out one of the nicer thrifts in your area.... Goodwill is usually a good place to start.

And should you be so inclined, take the pledge to "Shop Second Hand First".....not only.....but maybe first every now and then.

I spent $20 on a shirt at Goodwill!!!!!

My sweet baby took these pictures of me with his iphone.  He's good at doing the candid thing AND making me laugh!
I thrifted this suede (genuine) shirt at a local Goodwill.  I was there with a couple of friends, and each of us tried it on (though it was I who found it) and it looked great on EACH of us, despite the fact of being three very different body shapes.  When I got up to the counter and was told it was $20, I had to do some quick soul searching.  I'm certainly not used to climbing into double digits for an item at the thrifts.  But c'mon!  It's FABULOUS!!!!  
So I laid down the $20 and took her home!  And I don't regret it a bit!


Another one of my loves....a southwest vibe!  I found this bag at an out of town thrift and noticed the quality of the weave AND that the inside was lined in leather and the strap is genuine leather as well.  Plopped down $3 and took it home and washed it.....and now it's a favorite!  Looks great across the body too!


My husband making me laugh.....I know it may not be the most flattering....me with my mouth wide open.....but hey, it's real!  And if we ever got to meet, I'd have you laughing like this too!!


Finally, in the stair well of our building.  Another one of my favorites, a pair of wide leg jeans.  Can I tell you?  Get yourself a pair of wide leg jeans, flares or whatever you want to call them.  They're flattering and really step up the denim game!  I finished it off with a pair of Coach clogs that belonged to my mom.  That woman had INCREDIBLE style!!

Have a great weekend all!  Hugs all around!!

NUETP: Thrifting the one that got away!

NUETP:  Never Under Estimate The Power

Sometimes the planets align and you can actually thrift that expensive goodie that your pocketbook balks at!

Case in Point:

So check out this fabulous boot from Nine West that truly causes me to salivate more than a little!

And with a price tag of $250, it also makes me weep a bit too!  I just can't....especially on the heels (ha ha, no pun intended) of a $150 boot purchase for my birthday!  Oddly, as I'm sitting here typing, the wheels in my head are STILL turning as to how I can make these happen....Oh man oh man oh man.....

HOWEVER,

Quite a great consolation prize is this pair of VINTAGE 9West booties.


I thrifted these bad boys literally DAYS after I saw the current ones.  While not EXACTLY the same, obviously, they come a really close and contented second.  They have many of the same elements that make the ones above so special:

• 100% leather
• Cordoban tone
• Heel
• Rounded toe
• Same height
• Same shape at the top
• Same western feel

And guess what?!  MY SIZE!  For $3.50, I just about RAN out of the Goodwill with them!   Slight Problem:  When I got home and started to wear them, and they hurt like you wouldn't believe.  Apparently, years of neglect and un-use left the leather really tight.  I tried to bear through it a couple of times and thought my feet would cry genuine tears after 30 minutes.  

I tried stretching them with the water in the ziplock bag method, and while it helped a bit, not nearly enough.  I was concerned that I'd have to put them in my store, but I still had one more Hail Mary play - professional stretching.  For $10, a local shoe repair store was able to stretch them for me.  WOW!  What a difference!!!  While they're still a tad stiff, they are immensely wearable!  So for $13.50 instead of $250; I now own a very similar pair and they're still my beloved Nine West!

While I'd still love to own the current pair, if they never end up on my feet....how could I even complain?  This pair that I thrifted is a most delightful, Candy bar from God!!