Dress Up Corner #4

So this time Dress Up Corner is taking a turn to blush. This is no April Fool kind of blush. Instead, a little bit glam for the evening and a slightly more pared-down blush for the day..

1 Valentino satin clutch. 2 Alexander McQueen silk print scarf. 3 Alexander McQueen brass flower ring. 4 Elizabeth & James dress. 5 Giuseppe Zanotti heels. 6 DVF knit wrap dress.   7 Chloe wooden heels. 8 Victoria Beckham rose sunglasses. 9 Anya Hindmarch top-handled bag

all sourced from Net-a-Porter and Matches

Thrifting 101, Part 10: Cleaning vintage leather

This week I made an epic thrifting score. On my way out of a newly discovered thrift and vintage shop, I spied an ancient Coach satchel hanging on a shelf near the register. The asking price was twenty bucks, which I deemed astronomical considering how beat up the bag looked. On closer inspection, I saw the damage was far worse than I initially expected. Two dark stains were prominent on the back and bottom of the bag, a water stain embellished one of the bag's sides, and the entire thing was covered in dust and grime.

In addition, the bag smelled as if it'd spent it's life on the arm of a two pack-a-day smoker.  I imagined the previous owner was named something like Tracy or Thelma, a woman who lived alone in a basement apartment with four cats and dined on TV dinners washed down with Pabst Blue Ribbon. This was a woman who listened to Dolly Parton and worked at a bowling alley. She was sassy, and wise-crackin', and wore Hanes sweatshirts decorated with puffy paint and rhinestones. Twenty-five years ago her boyfriend Hank surprised her with her very own Coach satchel for her birthday. I visualize this woman carrying the Coach during special events like casino night or bingo down at the Elk's Lounge, where it dangled from her arm while she took long luxurious drags from a cigarette. But all good things must come to an end, and eventually she and Hank broke up. No longer being able to stand memories of that miscreant, she pawned the bag for something really nice like a .38 revolver or electric rollers for her hair. And that's how it ended up at the thrift store. Or so I imagine.

I knew that with a little research on cleaning leather, and a lot of elbow grease, this Coach had potential. So I haggled the price down to $10 and walked it out of the store. As soon as I arrived home, I got to work.

Here's the bag before cleaning:

The first thing I did was remove the strap and wipe down the bag with a dry cloth to remove any loose dirt and dust.

Then I brought out products I purchased specifically for cleaning leather: Saddle soap, a dry white cloth, mink oil, three white cloths, and a pair of rubber gloves to protect my hands. I purchased all of these items at my local grocery store, though saddle soap is also available at most pet supply and equestrian shops. 

I began by gently rubbing a generous amount of saddle soap with a cloth to the bag, moving in small circles. I repeated this process over the entire bag, paying extra attention to the grimiest parts - the bottom and handle.

When finished, I rubbed a dampened white cloth on the bag to rise off the saddle soap. (Failure to rinse the soap could cause the leather to become dry and cracked.) I repeated the entire process to remove as much dirt and grime as possible.

When I finished cleaning and rinsing, I rubbed the bag with a clean dry cloth to remove any lingering moisture. Then I hand-applied the mink oil, which is used to condition and make leather water-resistant. I used the same process as I did with the saddle soap - rubbing in small circular motions gently over the entire bag, paying extra attention to the seams, handle and bottom. Using my hands helped warm the oil, allowing it to penetrate further than if I'd used a cloth. When finished I gave the bag one final wipe to remove any extra mink oil and buffed it with the cloth to make the bag really shine. The entire process took forty-five minutes from start to finish.

Here's the finished product. The bag is lustrous, soft and gorgeous. And look at all that dirt left on the cloth - ewww.

As an extra step, beeswax can be used on the bag's hardware to polish and help zippers run smoothly. Cleaning and conditioning vintage leather should be done every six to nine months in order to prevent cracks and damage from drying out.

And the smell? Well, that proved to be far more challenging to remove. I sent out a tweet requesting advice for removing cigarette smoke from leather and received a number of suggestions. Erin of Work With What You've Got instructed me to air the bag outdoors in the sun for a few days, filling it with dryer sheets for good measure. Tina of T Minus, T Plus mentioned I put the bag in the freezer to kill the odor. Kate of Divergent Musings suggested I stuff it into a plastic bag with Odor Eaters. Juanette of Fashion Nette-Work voted that I spritz the interior with Febreeze, while Erica of The Put Together Girl recommended I spray the interior with vodka (which roused a pretty hilarious debate between Erin, Tina, Julie, and Juanette, who thought it sacrilege to waste perfectly good vodka on a bag.)

Initially, I went the vodka route. When finished, the bag smells like an alcoholic cigarette smoker. Then I did a bit of research and came upon a tip to stuff the bag with a tube sock filled with baking soda. Voila! Cigarette odor significantly vanquished.

Do you have a thrifted leather item you were wondering how to clean? Have these tips encouraged you to give it a shot? Got any further advice regarding cleaning vintage leather? 

(Are you curious about the previous posts in my Thrifting 101 series? Up to this point, Thrifting 101 has focused on tips for newbies and those dealing with the squick factor, advice regarding how to shop at a thrift store, thrifting for the clothing snob, recommendations for finding the best thrift and consignment stores, tips for determining what days are the best for thrifting, a post where I explained my love for thrifting, and advice regarding thrift store etiquette.)

A softer side//

Valentino

Pinterest Pastels

Some prettiness for the end of the month from my pastel inspired Pinterest board.

1 summer nights lanterns

2 drink me cocktail

3 pincushion sewing jar

4 floral fascinator

Outfit Post: Abercrombie's tween bikini top controversy and me

When I was pregnant with my first child, my husband and I made a pact that we wouldn't learn the sex of our baby until he or she was born. Like many first time parents, we swore that we didn't care whether we were having a boy or a girl. "As long as it's a healthy baby, we'll be blessed!" we crowed.

Well, I was lying. Kinda. I really, really wanted a girl. I wanted a girl to dress in pink frilly clothes and coddle in a pink frilly nursery. I wanted to grow her hair out into teeny pigtails that would curl adorably at the ends. I wanted a girl to buy dolls for, to read Babysitter Club books with, to spoil with Barbies and stickers and a pink bicycle and Bonnie Bell lip gloss. I imagined afternoons shopping together, accompanying her during mommy-daughter manicures, and giggling with her over pre-teen crushes. My daughter and I would bond over such activities, and be best friends for life.

Imagine my delight when I did have a daughter. And imagine my shock when she turned out to be the consummate tomboy. Becky is ten years old and couldn't care less about Barbies and shopping and make-up. Her favorite books are those in the Captain Underpants series. And forget about make-up and manicures - she has to be nagged to brush her teeth.

However, the closer she gets to becoming a teenager, the more concerned I become about the pressure girls feel to mature before they're developmentally and emotionally ready. We live in a world where the rush to grow begins shortly after birth. You only have to glance at clothing and beauty products marketed to children to see proof. Pole-dancing kits have been available in the toy section of stores, Hooters Girl in Training t-shirts can be purchased for toddlers, and sequined bras and spa treatments are advertised at shops like Libby Lu.

However, products marketed to pre-adolescents can still shock. Abercrombie and Fitch Kids recently introduced padded bikini tops for children as young as eight, igniting controversy among parents and the media. Originally called the 'Ashley Push-Up Triangle Top' (the term push-up has since been dropped) the nylon and spandex garment features padded cups and a string-tied top. Part of the Abercrombie Kids summer collection, it retails for $19.50 and is sold separately from the matching bottoms.

When reading about this late last week, I immediately wondered how these tops made it into stores in the first place. The very idea of a padded swimsuit for tweens is disturbing in and of itself. Sadly, this is not the first time Abercrombie has marketed a controversial article of clothing targeted at pre-adolescents. A range of thongs bearing the words 'wink wink' and 'eye candy' sold by the retailer for the same age group in 2002 sparked a debate, but Abercrombie Kids refused to recall the line. The company said at the time: "The underwear for young girls was created with the intent to be lighthearted and cute. Any misrepresentation of that is purely in the eye of the beholder."

Not surprisingly, consumers and bloggers have had mixed reactions to what some consider a blatant attempt to sexualize young customers. Parents have flooded the ABC Facebook page with comments after a segment regarding the bikini aired on Good Morning America. Babble.com bloggers posted that the push up bra is, effectively, a sex tool, designed to push the breasts up and out, putting them front and center where they’re more accessible to the eye. In an interview with the UK publication The Daily Mail, parenting expert Dr. Janet Rose said "If we continue to try to make our children value 'sexy', I shudder to think what damage we are doing to their future self-concepts and adult values."

However, a minority of parents are arguing that padded bikini tops are functional and far from titillating. One commenter on Jezebel mentioned that lightly padded swimsuit tops encouraged her to be more comfortable with her own developing body when she was a pre-teen. Others added that extra padding provides more coverage and helps prevent the see-though effect some swimsuits have. Argued a commenter, "Padding does not necessarily mean push up, and it also does not mean sexualization. Padding means that your nipples will not show through."

Having not seen the actual swimsuit in question, I am hesitant to offer an opinion regarding it. I have no idea whether the top is lightly padded for coverage, or heavily padded to enhance developing breasts. However, as a parent, I am aware of the need to distinguish the difference between healthy sexuality and sexualization. I talk to my daughter about what's appropriate to wear and what's not. And I try to set a healthy example of what appropriate dressing means. I believe it is my responsibility to monitor and discuss age-appropriate milestones, such as padded bikinis (and bras, for that matter) with Becky. I never want her to feel inadequate or ashamed of her body, and I hope frequent discussion between us will help her foster a healthy body image.

Now I put this to you: What do you think of retailers marketing padded bikinis and bras to tweens? Do you think tween padded tops are scintillating or vulgar, or do you see them as a innocent and functional tool for body acceptance? Do you believe it is solely the parents’ responsibility to monitor age-appropriate milestones, or does the retailer have a moral obligation to do so as well? 

Thrifted J Crew velvet blazer; thrifted gray Gap sweater; thrifted Loft shorts; Hue tights; thrifted Cole Hann booties; Forever 21 necklace; Anthropologie bag

And here's one of my beautiful girl before the daddy-daughter. That bow in her hair is an anomaly.

Belgrade Fashion Week- 3 ....

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Belgrade Fashion Week already started, and this is a small part of what we saw last night. You have chance to see our young designers : Ines Jankovic, Marta Miljanic and Viktorija Dzimrevska.
Nakon otvaranja BFW-a u Choomich-u, izložbe poklona u Delta City-u koju je dizajnirao Darko Kostić, na red je došao i Belexpocentar. Program je izgledao ovako:
19:30h B-underwear (Vesna Matijević)
20:00h Novi dizajneri ( Ines Janković/Marta Miljanić/Viktorija Džimrevska)
21:00h Suzana Perić
22:00h Tamara Radivojević
A moj favorit večeri je Ines Janković, koju nam je Jelena predstavila još u decembru prošle godine ( ukoliko niste pročitali možete OVDE)! :)
Kompletan izvestaj sa fotografijama možete pogledati na BFW sajtu.
A mene, pa da li mi verujete da se nisam slikala?! :) Potrudiću se večeras! :***
Nadam se da će vam se dopasti ovo sa kratkim video zapisima!
p.s. ne zaboravite da kod Leyle imate priliku da učestvujete u liveblogging-u dok traje nedelja mode!

Out & About: Bistro Sixteen82

Bistro Sixteen82, an innovative bistro-style restaurant and wine tasting venue, is set at the foot of Steenberg or Stone Mountain amongst the vineyards.  We visited the bistro on a perfectly gorgeous Saturday afternoon and soaked up the relaxed and stylish decor, while sampling the wines and tasting menu. Yum!

Bistro Sixteen82, named after the year in which Steenberg Vineyards was established, is a truly unique food and wine experience, not to mention the breath taking views across the vineyards, Constantia Valley, and False Bay in the distance!



One of the signature wines is the Steenberg Brut 1682 Chardonnay 2009, a sparkling wine which, according to the tasting information, has ‘aromas of fresh granny smith apples with overtones of freshly baked biscuits, and a creamy, yet fresh, mouth feel. It is a wonderful wine for all occasions, remaining crisp and refreshing on the palate without lacking fullness.’

Really good bubbly, in my books!



The tasting bar has the most beautiful handmade chandelier which twinkles elegantly above the tasters as they sip and, in our case, swallow the fruits of the vine. Guests can dine inside or outside, both venues showcasing the earthy natural decor of the bistro with the restful sound of water trickling outside.

 



The tapas menu is wildly popular at the Bistro..

 



So if you haven’t visited Bistro Sixteen82 yet, I suggest you hurry before Cape Town’s winter arrives!

photography by me, last 3 images from website.

Outfit Post and event recap! Pretty bloggers at Park Lane Dallas

On Saturday I had an an invitation from Tina of T Minus T Plus to attend the Progressive Fashion Blogger Event at The Shops at Park Lane in Dallas. The social media director of Park Lane, Nichole Luna, hosted the event, and our group of twelve had a fantastic time meeting store managers, getting swag, and enjoying lunch, all courtesy of the shops. In addition to 600,000 square feet of great shopping and restaurants, Park Lane offers outdoor jazz concerts, events for children and moms, and is located directly across from HWY 75 and Northpark Mall, an upscale shopping destination that entertains over 21 million visitors a year.

We started out at Whole Foods, which immediately made me regret not eating breakfast that morning. Everything looked incredibly fresh. The Park Lane Whole Foods is a flagship store, and the largest in North Texas. It was impeccably clean, modern, and easy to navigate. We drank free samples of kombucha tea (which smelled kind of like mushrooms but tasted surprisingly fruity) and had a full tour of the store.

Whole Foods believes in environmentally respectful and conscious eating, and the store reflected the clean lifestyle they encourage.  One of my favorite things was a vintage cigarette machine they had refurbished into a dispenser for crafts by local artists. For $5, you could purchase an original piece of artwork or jewelry from a machine that looked like a piece of art in itself. I was blown away.

After Whole Foods we walked over to Ulta. The front of the store was devoted to prestige brands, such as Elizabeth Arden, Neostrata and Borghese, as well as top-tier skin care lines, such as Murad. We also checked out the Benefit cosmetics and brow bar and got a chance to play around with some of the cosmetics, including their popular Benetint. The Park Lane Ulta also has a full service salon, including an on-staff brow specialist. Ulta gifted us with a ton of samples to try, including a full size Stila lipgloss. That was awesome.

Then it was onto Nordstrom Rack, where I spied 39425 pairs of Frye boots (on super sale!) that I lusted for, racks of designer jeans, spring dresses in a huge range of styles and sizes, and a display of Betsey Johnson watches and earrings so glorious I almost cried. Almost. My style guru/friend Juanette of Fashion Nette-Work won a Marc Jacobs watch in a giveaway just for our group. I actually squealed out loud when she won. It was that good.

 Juanette and Katie of Fashion Dinosaur

Once we finished touring the store, we stopped by Gordon Biersch for lunch provided by Park Lane. Despite a gusty wind, it was a really pretty day, and we ate outside on the patio. I had a hummus salad with chicken and fresh pita bread that was divine, though I honestly had trouble choosing what to order - the menu was huge, and everything sounded good. For dessert we were treated to frozen yogurt at Fresh Berry. Unfortunately, I was too stuffed from lunch to have any, but it looked super delicious.

Frozen yogurt finished, we walked across the street for glasses of champagne and a tour at Baileys Prime Plus. Between the sexy bar, glamorous private dining rooms, and glass-walled wine cellar, it felt very chic. It was the perfect place to take a date or host a group event.

Then it was onto the Aveda Store and Institute. Containing a full service spa, hair salon and cosmetology school, the Institute was huge, and smelled invitingly of Aveda's signature mint and rosemary scent. We toured the facility and I dreamed of a time when I could spend a day there indulging in a massage, facial, and mani/pedi. Aveda generously gifted all of us with pedicure in the salon, and I'm really looking forward to going back.

A HUGE thank you to Tina and Park Lane Dallas for hosting such a wonderful event. I went home with bags of samples, coupons and gifts, a group of new blogs I can't wait to catch up on, and a mental list of things I want to buy for spring. Oh boy. And tremendous thanks to Ivonne and Katie for the pics here. Somehow I accidentally deleted mine while uploading. Yes, I am an idiot.

 

Attendees: From top row, left to right:

1. Juanette from Fashion nette-work
2. Hayley from Hey, It’s Hayley
3. Chris from My Fashion Juice
4. Isabel from Style Geek and Dallas Fashion Connect
5. Stephanie from Beauty and Gardens
6. Julie from Rosie + Tart
7. That's moi
8. Ivonne from Ivonne Stacy Style
9. Tina from T Minus, T Plus
10. Katie from Fashion Dinosaur (check out that crinoline! Do want.)

Here's what I wore:

The Spice Rack vintage sequin jacket; thrifted vintage silk tank; vintage thrifted silk skirt; vintage thrifted belt; Forever 21 oxfords; vintage thrifted bag; Forever 21 pyramid bracelet; Forever 21 hoops

Forever 21 pyramid bracelet; Betsey Johnson watch; heirloom diamond tennis bracelet; James Avery sterling silver ring

Tea and Corsets

now that’s what I call cat eyes:

photographed by Karen Radkai for Vogue back in 1956.

via fashionising

Outfit Post: My first kiss went a little like this...

Today I am wearing shorts with tights and boots. The last time I sported this look was in 1988. I had a really unfortunate perm and spent hours making mix tapes (y'all know what a cassette is, right? It's a demonic device that get tangled and twisted and eventually knotted into one gigantic mess that leaves you swearing and defeated.) I had also just received my first kiss, and drew the following conclusions about kissing and life in general:

1. Kissing is disgusting. 
2. Kissing is gross. 
3. Kissing is overrated.
4. I will never kiss anyone ever again. 
5. Ever.

These sentiments were not exactly those I expected to have after fourteen years of watching the birthday-cake-sitting-on-the-kitchen-table kissing scene in Sixteen Candles, and the dropping-the-purse-in-the-rain-in-the-parking-lot-after-prom kissing scene in Pretty in Pink.

I met First Kiss during a spring break jaunt with my family to a friend's farm in Upstate NY. He was a sixteen year old country boy with sandy blond hair that fell into his eyes in a sexy, pre-Justin Bieber sort of way. For a week we swam together in the lake, went out for ice cream, and talked around the fire late into the evenings. On my last day of my trip he led me into a barn, through dusty horse stalls and towards a dark corner. I knew in my head that he was going to kiss me that day. He knew I had never been kissed, and that I wanted my first kiss to be with him. Plus, I was fourteen and scared that if I didn’t kiss someone (him) soon I would surely die an old maid.

He leaned across and took me by surprise. Instead of the lustful, drawn-out, passionate staring into one another's eyes I expected before our mouths met, I felt a forceful smash of the lips to the face and a tongue halfway down my throat (or so it felt.) It was too wet, too slimy, too aggressive.There was no romance. No passion. I felt disgusted and duped, but I also knew that wasn't how it was supposed to feel. Unfortunately, that kiss did repel me from kissing for quite awhile. I seriously thought that I could never enjoy it. Ever.

Thankfully, I dated a lot of boys after First Kiss, and I eventually learned that as intimate as a kiss is, it's even better when it's with someone who really knows what they're doing. One should not need a shower after being kissed. The lips should not feel bruised. And if the sensation of being choked is present, run like hell. Sure, there's a time for full blown, against the wall, hands on the face, unrestrained passionate kissing accompanied by the frantic removal of clothing. But then again, a sweet brushing of the lips, simple in its intent, is just as delicious.

I was thinking of First Kiss when I got dressed this morning. Surely he'd approve of my tights under shorts styling. Despite the fact that it's been years since I pulled off this look, I think I did pretty well.


What was your first kiss like? Did it intrigue you, or repel you? Do you think bad kissing is a relationship deal-breaker? And how do you feel about the denim shorts with tights revival?

Gap windowpane blouse; Gap Outlet tee (under blouse); Gap denim shorts) Gap Outlet belt; target tights; thrifted J Crew boots; Gap crossbody belt; Plato's Closet leather belt

Haemmer Germany....

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                                                                                                    Ladies

                                                                                                  Gents

Have you heard about Haemmer brand for watches from Germany?
Oversized-Design, lifestyle and authenticity, and the left positioned crown are the key points in the products and the product range strategy. Consistent quality features such as a continuous laser-engraved serial number, 100 meters waterproof, screw-housing floors and crowns emphasize the quality of the entire collection.Skin-friendly calf leather bracelets with stainless steel applications, folding, (double buckle in the women's models) that give the collection its own special charm and character.Im in love with these watches, white, red, blue, brown.... i cant decide which one is my favorite color!
Da li ste čuli za ovaj brend ?
Haemmer  je vrhunski proizvođač satova sa automatskim i hronograf mehanizmom, predstavlja novo ime na srpskom tržištu  luksuznih satova. Svojim dizajnom i kvalitetom je pravi predstavnik nemačke preciznosti i funkcionalnosti. Inspirisan nemačkim podmorničarskim satovima, kao i najnovijim trendovima u dizajnu sata velikog prečnika, Haemmer Germany je brzo osvojio ceo svet. Kolekcija sadrži muške i ženske modele koji se proizvode u dve veličine: 45mm i 50mm. Krunica za navijanje se nalazi sa leve strane, što omogućava dodatnu udobnost prilikom nošenja, ali doprinosi i još većoj autentičnosti ovog brenda. Haemmer satovi su otporni na vodu, visoke temperature kao i grebanje. Luksuznom izgledu doprinose i narukvice od najkvalitetnije kože sa metalnim kopčama, kao i detalji od Swarovski kristala na ženskim modelima. Zahvaljujući kompaniji AXIS design d.o.o.iz Beograda, ovaj brend je od sada dostupan i u Srbiji.
Prodajna mesta:
Supermarket, Višnjićeva 10, Beograd
Big Ben, Terazije 35, Beograd
Galerija satova Berić, Novi Sad, Spens
p.s. da li je potrebno da kažem da sam totalno zaljubljena u beli? crveni? braon? teget? svaki? :)

@ home: French by Design

I fell for this home in a big way… so I just had to share the crush! Belonging to the author of the blog French by Design, this space is so beautifully styled and the contrast of different textures and patterns all make for a harmonious and interesting space. Hope you enjoy the inspiration:

images from http://miluccia.canalblog.com/