Weekend Window Shopping: Suddenly I Want Dresses.

I've been wearing nothing but pants for months and been perfectly fine with it...until this week. We had a few warm days and suddenly my brain switched to spring and I WANT ALL THE DRESSES. Here's what I've got my eye on specifically:

         

       

BUY THIS (Because I Already Did): Good Things On Sale.

A few of my favorite things happen to be on sale, so I thought I'd let you know about them just because I am a super nice person and not at all trying to enable you to buy something because it's Thursday and you deserve a little something nice.

J.Crew: 
My favorite Going-Out Blazer is 40% off with code COFFEE:

I wore it here if you want to see it on an actual person. It's got stretch so it's almost cardigan-comfy.


Madewell: 
Two of my favorite RMS products are 20% off right now at Madewell:

If you want a luminizing product that looks really natural, this is the one. I absolutely love it. 

This little palette is a great way to try several different RMS products. I'm especially fond of the cheek colors.


Shoes.com:
They are offering $30 off an $80 purchase, plus free shipping:

This brings my DM Chelsea boots down to $114.95! I also really love the Dr. Marten Zillow Chelsea which is even less expensive.  (Note: Shoes.com always has a promotion so you might be able to get a better price down the road, but sizing is limited and I don't know if they restock.)

TJ Maxx: 
I love my Argento Vivo labradorite necklace so much and these earrings on clearance are killing me:

Ugh. I don't need these at all but someone should maybe buy them and report back.

Tutorial: Let's Go Thrifting For Fun and Profit! (Part Three)

Hi all! This is the third in my three-part series about buying/selling on Poshmark. (Here are part one and two.) This third installment is specifically about sourcing to resell but also includes general tips about thrifting for fun (because I certainly don't sell everything I find. Nope.)

First, a general note on thrifting: Never go in looking for something specific, just go with a clear mind and get into that zen state as you work through the racks. It definitely helps if you like to dig and enjoy the "thrill of the hunt" aspect of shopping. If you don't, this might not be for you because it really takes time and patience.

Also, I am pretty new at this! I used to thrift a lot in college but only got back into it a year ago,  so I don't consider myself an expert by any means. Mostly I am just giving you a starter's guide based on what I've learned:

A decent haul.

Find Your Honey Hole
First, you gotta find your best sourcing spot. In my area we have Goodwill (too expensive), Salvation Army (cluttered but much less expensive) and a few locally-owned thrift stores that are popular with students and therefore get picked over. There is also a "Bins" (aka Goodwill outlet) near me but I've been too scared to try it. (Apparently things get...aggressive at the bins.) For reselling purposes,  I don't like spending more than $4 on any item unless it's higher-end and immaculate.

At my favorite thrift store they have one day a week where all clothes are 50% off. Check around and find out what kind of deals/discounts your local shops run and take advantage of it! On half price day I usually hit the tank top racks and really go through them - I've found Lululemon, Lucy, Athleta, etc. They're regularly priced at $1.99, so at half price my cost per item is super low. Even if that tank sells for $12-$15, I am making a fair profit!

I can't resist leopard print. 

Go Consistently
If you go often enough and really dig into the racks, you'll train yourself to spot the good quality items. My fingers usually know before my eyes have registered a good brand. Good quality feels like good quality, especially when it comes to knits, denim and athletic wear. I generally stick with the women's racks but have found some great men's stuff on the women's racks! Also, my best athletic finds are usually mixed in with regular clothes. Lululemon can be especially stealthy because the logo isn't always obvious. Once you know your store, you'll know it's strengths - spend the majority of your time on areas where you find the best stuff.

Men's jeans I found on the women's rack.

Find Your Best Sellers 
I love to sell casual current styles - jeans, athletic wear and cute tops do best for me. Skirts and dresses don't move and I rarely find shoes or bags worth selling. My best rule - buy what you like and sell what you like. I try to keep my closet "on brand" by only selling items or brands I'd wear (with a few exceptions.) Brands I will always pick up: Patagonia, The North Face, Madewell, Rothys, Tieks, Frye, Dankso, Birkenstock, RRL, J.Crew (mainly black label - if it's got two diamonds on the tag, it's Factory), Lululemon, and Athleta. To date I have not found Rothys, Tieks, Frye or Birkenstocks (edit: I have since found Rothys and Frye!), but I am always hopeful.

I love this cool blouse but the brand is a mystery.

Live Thrift!
Don't be afraid to stop what you're doing right in the aisle to look up a brand on Posh or eBay. Check the "sold" comps. I overlooked an RRL (Ralph Lauren black label) men's western shirt on three different trips before finally looking up the label and being like, Oh. I sold that puppy on eBay for $60! Anything that looks interesting or high quality? definitely look up sold comps and see if it's worth your time. I still make dumb mistakes (looking at you, mesh BR top) but I've definitely gotten better at buying things that sell. Also, there are some higher end brands that just don't do very well on Poshmark, so before you buy that $15 Joie top, check to see what similars are selling for. It might do better on eBay or it might just not be worth the effort.

This blouse was riddled with moth holes...I discovered after purchase.

Check and Check and Check Again.
I can't state this enough: before you get in line to purchase your great finds go find a well-lit corner of the thrift store and really look your stuff over, inside and out. For jeans - check the crotch, the back pockets, the hems, the waistband, and, very important, check the front for the dreaded elastic puckering:

This is bad.

If you're sourcing high end jeans, look for any signs that they're fake (sloppy stitching, spelling mistakes on the tags, etc.) For knits: look for holes and stretching. For tops: check the pits. For buttoned tops: check for missing buttons! I can't tell you how many times I've overlooked a missing button. For everything: check for stains and damage. Occasionally I've bought something with a stain that I was able to get out, but mostly I throw it back because it's not worth my time. I really can't stress how important this step is because I STILL miss stuff and it's incredibly frustrating.

That's it for now! Next week I'm going to do a post about your reseller toolkit - the items you should have on hand always. Whee. So fun.

Now, any questions?

We Discuss: An Average Week.

A: I have a GC burning a hole in my pocket and was like, maybe I’ll get that YSL Touche Eclat thing again. Then I read MY OWN REVIEW.

A: WHY DO I KEEP FALLING FOR IT.

M: GIRL

A: My brain is broken. I didn’t buy it but I was close.

M: That thing is just bougie bullshit

A: It IS! I posted on the blog and said exactly that

A: So why was I suddenly like, maybe this time

M: broken

A: Touche Eclat is a bad boyfriend

M: If I stray from Bye Bye Undereye...

A: I’m in an abusive relationship with a highlighter

M: It will be to try Shape Tape concealer

A: Ah, now that one I want to try

M: Or another one that just flew out of my brain whoops

M: Fenty!

M: But! Bye Bye Undereye is nearly perfect

A: Fenty, oooh yes.

A: It is! And it lasts foreverrrrr

A: I didn’t even run out of my last tube - the tube cracked

M: dang

A: But it was TIME

A: I’m wearing that Le Labo Ambrette perfume today

M: How’s that going?

M: Chris had to take the trash out early fyi

A: It’s really nice - subtle to the point of invisible. Just the way I like it.

***

M: Got you something

A: WOW

M: Perfect for Paris

A: Hot pink cowboy boots. So Parisian.

M: Frawnch

A: Sweet Jesus why do those boots exist

M: They will look so good on you

M: I’m so excited

M: 

A: New phone who dis

***

A: A reader just sent me this (thanks, Ellen!):

M: RUDE DRESS

A: Like NOPE NOPE NOPE

M: Literally who would look good in that. The model looks like a potato in an ace bandage

M: That dress is assaulting her

A: I just snort-wheezed

M: 🥔 👗

A: She also sent me this:

M: That’s kind of fun, in a “formal lampshade” kind of way

A: I think it’s only fun because she’s moving. What happens when she holds still?

***

A: “The model looks like a potato in an ace bandage” is still cracking me up

M: 🤗

A: Your best sentence today

M: I’m really living my best life this week

***

A: Is this your new carnigan sweater?

M: I want that!

A: Is cute right?

M: Where is it

A: Anthro

M: Ugh I want

A: That why I asked if it was the one you just bought, but clearly not!

M: Ha no I bought the longer plaid one

A: So cute

A:

M: Yay boots! How do they feel?

A: Not bad! They feel huge though, comparatively

M: That’s always my concern

A:

M: Super cute

A: Good and stompy

***

A: Bought this for you and Lu:

M: Oh wow thanks

A: SO YOU CAN MATCH

M: It’s weird, all of our mail is currently being routed to a dumpster fire 🤷🏻‍♀️

A: Oh well, sorry about your Rothy's I just mailed you

M: Dang

M: Really should have fixed that

A: OH WELL.

Lazy Beauty Reviews: ByTerry, Givenchy, Mally, Davines, Bed Head

I can't believe how long it's been since I posted any kind of beauty review! Marianne posted her beauty and skincare favorites from 2018 but it's been crickets from me. Oops.  I am lazy and forgetful. So here are a few quick reviews for things I've been into lately:

Something that you shouldn't ever do: wander into a Blue Mercury store on a lunch break with no agenda. Those kind, bored sales associates WILL FIND YOU AN AGENDA. I walked out an hour later with a face full of makeup and the By Terry blush thing above. The color is kind of bronzer-y on me and the center circle is a highlighter that you can use separately. It's quite nice and I use it whenever I need a bit of glow. I also bought this concealer pen thingy because I'm a sucker. It's fine but not life-changing.

Y'all know that I really love Davines Minu shampoo and conditioner for color-treated hair and this winter I've been using the Davines MINU Hair Serum and I loooove it. The MINU stuff seems to keep my hair shiny and smooth and my color bright. I spray it on when my hair is damp, before styling products.

I posted about this Givenchy powder in Voile Rose which I bought last fall during the Sephora sale. Listen, this is not something you need but if you are feeling splurgy and want something fancy? You could do a lot worse than this powder. It is really freaking nice. The four colors mix in the sifter and you just swirl them on. (I use a brush, not the puff that comes with it.) It smells nice and gives your face a kind of soft-lit finish that's not sparkly at all. Also, the packaging is very expensive and luxe, which I enjoy.

I recently got this little Mally eyeshadow stick in Burnished Bronze and it's SO GOOD. I can put on a lightly and smudge it around for a subtle look or really go to town and get a great bronze smoky eye without much effort. It's so hard to find a non-reddish bronze (red in eye makeup makes my eyes look bloodshot) so I have been delighted with this pen and I want to try more colors!

And one from Marianne:

This isn’t new but I have pulled my Bed Head Wave Artist Deep Waver back out and it’s been a nice change to my hair. I get lots of compliments! It’s faster than a curling wand and the waves hold really well. I do recommend a heat protectant because it gets pretty hot.


What about you? Any new beauty discoveries?

Weekend Window Shopping: Graphic Everything.

I have always been a sucker for a good graphic tee or a really crazy print. Here is a selection of graphic tops and sweaters that are making me happy:

         

       
       

Cute Boy Friday: Basic Tree.

A: We just saw the RBG movie.

M: Good?

A: Yeah. Bonus: Armie Hammer.

M: Sometimes it bugs me that I find him so attractive. Like low hanging basic fruit for the intellectual woman.

A: Haaaa, totally.

M: Another cute boy Friday.

A: Climb him like a basic fruit tree.

M: 

A:

M: The heart wants what it freaking wants.

A: 🤷🏻‍♀️

M: 

A:

A: Dead now

M: Well fuck

A: I win!

M: Baby raccoon trumps everything.

A: CLIMB HIM LIKE A TREEEEE.