Good News, Bad News

The good news is, I'm baaaack! Hopefully I've been missed, but more importantly let's talk about how much I'm going to miss eLuxury (aka the bad news)!

Friday, June 26, will be the last day for eLuxury's retail business. They're going to be more of a lifestyle website with stories and whatnot, so hopefully that will at least provide some new workday distractions. Anywho, as for the going out of business sale: there are still a few items left, but the pickings a slim, albeit with severly slashed prices. This Dior ring is rather snazzy, don't you think?

Over the years, eLuxury and I have been through a lot. It all started with a Burberry swimmie I ordered during the summer of 2003 right before my senior year at college. This was also when I discovered they had a-mazing sales with discounts over 50% and always some type of shipping special! Things progressed from Burberry to Pucci (oops!), with some Marc Jacobs and Louis Vuitton thrown in on the side. One of my fave pairs of shoes--yellow Puccis--were an eLuxury 75% off purchase and ended up being my lucky interview shoes.

My last and final eLuxury purchase was this fabulous Marc Jacobs dress that was a "one day only, take an extra 40% off" special. I'm wearing it tonight to the screening Nieman Marcus, Mazza Gallerie is doing of Valentino: the Last Emporer, so check back later for pics of my whole ensemble and a recap of the Valentino movie. I'm not really sure the shoe/handbag combo I selected is gonna work quite as I envisioned it, but we shall see...

Pucci at TJ Maxx?!?!

Pucci at TJ Maxx. I never thought it would happen. Imagine my surprise when I walked into the TJ Maxx at Tyson's Corner headed for the Runway section, only to be distracted by a familiar pattern amidst the handbags. Upon further inspection I discovered adorable medium-sized, canvas Pucci bags in really cute patterns from last year! The one pattern I was very fond of the first time around (a lovely combination of browns and blues), and I liked it just as much hanging in front of me at TJ Maxx. The bags were under $150, and let's just say I would love to see one in my stocking :)

P.S. Also worth noting were some very jaunty Juicy bags for under $100 and HoneyDew underpinnings for a mere $2.99!

New to You and New to Me!

A high-end consignment store with parking, a website, and a blog--what more could a shopper ask for?! I had heard excellent things about New to You - The Chic Boutique ; however, I was really hooked when I read the section on their site that discussed the labels they liked, might like, and didn't like. Not only did I fully concur, but it was done oh so cleverly! I liked what I saw and continued to peruse their site only to discover that they had a blog as well. As a fellow blogette, there's truly nothing better than discovering a new fashion blog. All that being said, I couldn't wait to check out the actual store! Thanks to the Google Maps feature on my handy new HTC Mogul I had no problem finding the place, and there was a free parking lot in the back: the only thing better than free parking, is valet, but I'm pretty happy as long as it's free and easy.

Moving on to the matter at hand: the store itself! If you haven't gathered from my previous entries, nothing makes me happier than a well-organized, non-cluttered, consignment/vintage store; I like the feeling that the people at the shop have really put thought into the pieces that they're selling. I am happy to declare that New to You was a perfect example of this! There was a great selection of clothes, shoes, and bags that were in good condition and reasonably priced (their website does a much better job of describing the brands they carry than I ever could). They also had some snazzy Hermès scarfs and some rather handsome Pucci ties (excellent for headbands and/or belts). Everything was nicely organized and displayed, so you didn't feel overwhelmed and claustrophobic. The girls working there were wonderful and the shopping experience overall was quite pleasant! I definitely look forward to going back there, and with Christmas right around the corner it's a great place to pick up some unique designer gifts for a fraction of their original price. Of course, it's also a fantastic place to go look for a dress, shoes, accessories, etc. for all of those upcoming Holiday parties :)

So that's"New to You."

What's "new to me", is the aforementioned Mogul (Mo, if you will). In addition to managing my life for me, it is also equipped with one of those fancy digital cameras! The truth is, I have yet to join the millennium and purchase a digital camera, which is why this site is rather naked. Hopefully, since I have "Mo" now and actually have figured out how to use it (thanks to the help of my trusty life assistant) I will finally be able to spruce things up around here!

Project 4 Gallery, Vintage Trunk Show

Pucci, Chanel, champagne--need I say more? September 28-30, Project 4 Gallery on U St. will be hosting a vintage trunk show entitled "The Vintage Project." More details for the event can be found on the Washington Post site. Tomorrow night is the cocktail reception and fashion show, with some of the proceeds from sales going to charity. I don't know how pricey the pieces will run, but nonetheless it's still always fun to look. While I'm not sure what all "The Vintage Project" will entail, I do know that there's nothing I love more than vintage fashion and free champagne!

Goodwill

I absolutely LOVE Goodwill (maybe even more than Gabe's!). However, it is perhaps one of the most daunting of digs because some days you're just sorting through someone's smelly old t-shirts. On the flip side, there's the possibility of finding a "vintage" Lacoste polo for a whopping $2.50! If that's not motivation to roll up your sleeves and start digging, then you're a lost cause.

Goodwill is a gold mine for finding "vintage" pieces;I keep putting vintage in quotes because not all items are necessarily vintage. It's just that I have been to plenty of so-called vintage stores that were basically a refined Goodwill charging $50 for the same aforementioned Lacoste polo.

For those of you that have never shopped at Goodwill, it's time for you to get broken in piece by piece.

Polos: Lacoste, Burberry, Ralph Lauren--the best place to look for polos is in the men's section. Just be careful not to buy a size XXXL men's polo if you're normally a women's Small/Medium.

Sweaters: Once again the men's section seems to be the best place to start looking. The key thing to remember when buying Goodwill sweaters is to look for ones that are made from natural fibers such as cotton or wool. Also, be sure to look for moth holes; some may be easily repaired, but others aren't worth it.

Truly Vintage Concert T's: Now this may not be up everyone's alley, but if you like those old Queen, Journey, REO Speedwagon t-shirts (and you don't want to buy the $45 replicas) then look no further than Goodwill. It is kind of like looking for a needle in a haystack, but finding that metallic screen printed Queen Bohemian Rhapsody shirt is totally worth it.

Skirts, Suits,Dresses: When sorting through these racks I generally go for vintage shapes/styles instead of designer labels. That's not to say you can't find designer pieces, but sometimes an 80's Escada suit is better left untouched. These are generally pieces that you'll want to try on since the sizes can vary so much. Keep in mind what's "in" for the upcoming season and you may just find the perfect black pencil skirt for $5. Also remember that when you're paying such a nominal price, it's definitely worth your money to look at an item and see how it could be altered for an updated look. This can be as simple as taking the hem up on a skirt by a few inches.

Furs: I sometimes think it's surprising the amount of furs you'll find at Goodwill, but some of them are quite nice (especially after a good cleaning) and rather affordable. Paying $50 for a mink stole is not bad considering what they normally cost. In addition, many people that are not keen on wearing furs find vintage pieces more socially acceptable. All in all, you get a cheap fur that's not affecting the current supply/demand chain of furs sold in stores and it's probably got a great history to it (feel free to use your imagination here).

Accessories: While I have never had success with handbags, belts, or shoes, I have found some lovely scarves! These will probably cost you about $1; 100% silk might be $2. This is another area where I don't look for labels; I look for colors and patterns that I like. I am still optimistic, though, that one of these days I'll find a Pucci scarf with my name on it :)

So, if you're on the edge of your chair googling to find the nearest Goodwill, figuring out when you have time to make the journey, I have something to satiate your appetite. I've recently discovered that Goodwill has an online auction! I can't say that I've had a lot of time to explore this, but I did type in Jimmy Choo the one day and a pair of shoes (not my size) popped up for $60!

You should be set now; don't get discouraged if you don't find any clothes. There's always the housewares, record albums, etc. that can be quite intriguing as well!

Mother's Day

With so many ad's out about "the perfect gift for Mom" where does one begin? How about those diamond earrings from Jared the Galleria of Jewelers or something straight from the heart from Shaw's Jewelers; I know...what about Alase laser hair removal! Let's be honest, those ad's you hear on the radio are far from helpful. I mean, you may as well just get Mom a car from Eastern Motor's while you're at it.

Mother's Day gifts are a tough item...you want to get something nice, something memorable, something she'll like, but not expensive. It's also a plus if you get something that's somewhat original. I also like the idea of a gift that she'll be able to have for awhile. Gift certificates to spas, salons, etc. are nice, but when they're used up there's really nothing to show for it.

All that being said, I still haven't bought anything for my mother yet! However, I do have a plan of attack...keep in mind, though, that everyone's mom is different and what my mother may like, yours may hate.

The first place I plan on scouring is Annie Creamcheese in Georgetown. It's an excellent vintage store that has tons of designer pieces (I found an incredible Pucci dress from the 70's there)! So, I'm thinking of finding some little deisgner accessory like a coinpurse or something similar. There are so many treasures there, though, so who knows what I'll find!

My next stop is Filene's Basement (the new one that opened by Tyson's). This is the perfect place to find really nice silk scarves. Most Filene's have a pretty good selection, of big, rectangular designer scarves for around $60; you can find Gucci, Missoni, Moschino, YSL, etc. In addition the last time I was at Filene's they had smaller, square Missoni scarves (perfect for headbands) that had been around $100 for only $15! Now if that isn't a great gift idea, I dont know what is. Plus, that's cheap enough you can pick one up for yourself while you're at it...

I really like the concept of a nice scarf as a gift. There are so many different varieties, they're pretty, they last for ages, and they're versatile! As I mentioned earlier, though, just make sure you get something that Mom will actually like; it doesn't matter if you just forked over several paychecks for something from Mervis Diamond Importers...if she doesn't like it, it's not a good gift.

Happy Mother's Day and Happy Mother's Day Shopping!!!