I'd Rather Be Knitting...

Blog Giveaway! Win lots of FREE STUFF!

2009-11-13T11:07:00.003-05:00

Haven't done one of these in awhile, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to get you guys more free stuff! Just think, if you can't use them, they'd probably make great Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanza/Holiday gifts! You get: AminoGenesis’ newest product, “Gone in Sixty Seconds,” nuNAAT’s Karite Special haircare line, Pulse Yoga II: Balance and Tone, and Sothys Energizing Essential Oils Elixir! Total Value: 77.96. (More details below).

To win: Comment on this post by 12/1/2009. Include your email or a way for me to contact you to get your address if you win. Drawing will be on 12/2/2009.

Good Luck!

Gone in Sixty Seconds by AminoGenesis- www.aminogenesis.com

New for Winter 2009, Gone in Sixty Seconds by AminoGenesis Skincare is an instant wrinkle filler that contains a scientific blend of oxygenating peptides, micro-collagen and firming proteins that tighten, firm and reduce puffiness all day long. Advanced patented technology time releases key ingredients all day long.

Gone in Sixty Seconds features InstaFirm Protein, an exclusive protein technology that instantly starts to firm and plump wrinkles, creating younger-looking skin within seconds. Clinically proven OxyPeptides increase skin respiration and oxygenation by as much as 745%, and Gamma-Aminobutryic Acid (or GABA) is present to help the body relax the muscles causing wrinkles. Price $19.99

Karite Special by nuNAAT – www.nunaat.com

Karite Special, an intensive treatment for restoring dry and damaged hair, is rich in Shea Butter, which revitalizes the hair’s capillary fiber leaving hair soft and silky as well as luxuriously fragranced.

Karite Creamy Shampoo

Formulated with Shea butter, one of the richest emollients available, the Karite Creamy Shampoo gently cleanses while restoring shine and silkiness to dry and damaged hair. Price $6.49

Karite Conditioner

Nourishes, protects and moisturizes dry y and damaged hair while restoring elasticity, moisture and silkiness. Price $6.49

Pulse Yoga II: Balance and Tone by Pulse Yoga www.pulseyoga.com

Pulse Yoga offers you the chance to have your cake and eat it too this holiday season. How you might ask? Pulse Yoga marries the best elements and disciplines of Pilates, Weight Training, and Yoga into one structured class session, which can be done at your own convenience. Christmas Comes Early: Multiple Reader Giveaway!

In this 60-minute DVD balance in motion is emphasized by connecting standing balancing postures in order to master control over the body in any position. The DVD emphasis is on:

Applying the use of free weights in novel ways to basic yoga postures.
Strengthening and toning key areas such as the abdominals, lower back, upper arms and gluteus.
Teaching core awareness.
Stretching chronically tight areas such as the hamstrings and hip flexors.

Price $14.99

Energizing Essential Oils Elixir by Sothys USA www.sothys-usa.com

Sothy’s Aroma-Stim new body care line is created to provide energy and well-being with its natural essential oils. The oils were selected for their toning, energizing and stimulating power. Sothy’s highly advanced technology used the principles of aromachology, and the pleasures of sensational textures, unique fragrances, and rare essences to create a magical experience.

Their Energizing Essential Oils Elixir is a concentrated dry oil formula that when massaged restores tone to make your skin divinely smooth. The energizing active ingredients can be used on dry or wet skin, and applied by being massaged all over the body. The dry-oil formula is created with a cocktail of complex energizing essential oils (eucalyptus, cardamom, neroli, nutmeg, and red thyme.) In addition to the essential oils the message elixir contains ginseng, carotene, and corn oil. Price $30

Jimmy Choo for H & M Starts Tomorrow!

2009-11-13T11:05:00.001-05:00

If only I cared enough to stand in line at 4am or something in SF. Oh well. I will go later in the day and see if there is anything left. Check out these fabulous over the knee boots that I just want to eat!

My New Sewing Workspace!

2009-11-09T22:08:00.002-05:00

I needed to consolidate my sewing stuff. I went from sewing desk and 2 giant rubbermaid 3-drawer roller thingies to this Craft/Sewing Armoire. It is awesome! I had to put it together myself, which was a little tough, but possible. And here's what it looks like now closed:

And here it is open. All my sewing stuff and fabric fits in here, and my sewing machine. The flat table part in the lower half turns into a longer table and the whole thing rolls out of the armoire. How great is that?!

Baby Stuff I Knitted

2009-11-09T21:56:00.002-05:00

So lots of people have been asking me if I am knitting stuff for the baby and the answer is, "of course!" Here are some of the projects I've knitted so far. Many, many more to come!

Baby hats and mittens, probably for friends and maybe for me too.

Baby booties and socks.

Baby sweater. I made this one in case I was having a boy, but it is unisex! Designed totally by me. And this was tough. I used Barbara Walker's Knitting from the Top, which, by the way, is NOT easy to follow!

Baby sweater for a girl. I made this first. I got the idea for it when I first got pregnant. Designed it myself.

Who says you can't be pregnant and fashionable?

2009-11-09T21:37:00.003-05:00

Well, these pics are dark, but I wanted you to see my attempts at fashion while pregnant. I don't think I did too bad a job, but you can tell me for sure!

Outfit 1: Bebe sweater, skirt made by me, Fornarina boots
Outfit 2: Motherhood Maternity jacket, Micheal Stars Maternity top, Skirt by me (Marie pattern from Burdastyle.com), boots by Tory Burch.

Maternity Clothes I Made!

2009-11-09T21:29:00.003-05:00

I made the following maternity clothes to supplement my wardrobe. The first (and my crowning pride and joy) is this one. I got the pattern from Burda Fashion magazines. It's an older pattern--from the early 2000's, but I think in a nice white it's pretty classic. It's my first Burda Fashion magazine pattern and, while it was mostly easy, isn't for beginners. The fit of this blouse is AMAZING though!

Here are some skirts I made when I started getting too big for most of my shorts and other skirts. They aren't really "maternity," but they all have elastic waists so I can grow with them (and hopefully shrink with them too):

This one is Marie, from BurdaStyle.com. It's a free pattern. Instead of a normal waistband, I used some super-stretchy knit fabric for the waist. Easy to pull on and off the bump and, in the future, on and off the waist:

Obsessed with Flat Ankle Boots....

2009-11-09T19:22:00.001-05:00

For the last 2 years I've been searching and searching for the perfect pair of flat ankle boots. They have to be black and just as adorable as the high-heeled kind and look good with leggings and dresses and possibly even pants.

I've experimented with western-style, motorcycle boots, and vintage and just haven't been able to find anything quite what I was looking for. Today, I *think* I finally found the perfect pair at the right price. This pair by No. 704b at DSW. I got them for only $60 after coupons. Original price $225!

I can't seem to find any info on the No. 704b label online. Does anyone know where these are sold or who makes them? I'd love to find out more about the designer...

New Motorcycle Boots!

2009-11-05T19:24:00.002-05:00

By Miss Me. Not my favorite brand, but they are cute on! And only $20 at DSW after $30 worth of coupons. Yippee!

Overalls and Rompers? Really?

2009-11-05T19:19:00.003-05:00

Found this online on some random website (women's health care topics.com):

"Any pregnant woman will tell you that overalls and rompers are among the most comfortable items a woman can have in her maternity collection. One of the best things about overalls and rompers is that they can be worn before, during and after pregnancy. In fact, overalls and rompers are particularly useful in the postpartum months when you don’t quite have your pre-pregnancy shape back just yet. They provide room to expand and breathe throughout your pregnancy."

Um, what?

ANY pregnant woman? How many pregnant women do you know that would wear overalls or rompers? Not a single woman I know, I hope. To know the answer to this means you had to put them on.

The most comfortable thing I've found during pregnancy? Sweatpants. I'm not much of a believer in sweatpants, but for the first time in my life I'm wearing them nightly. A close second is yoga pants. And, if I'm picking things I can wear to work, corduroy pants and Micheal Stars supima cotton shirts... ahhh so soft!

Wardrobe Trial and Error

2009-10-15T19:24:00.003-04:00

So, I attempted to modify a pair of my regular jeans (well, sort of, they are actually new jeans I bought in a size larger than I normally wear so that I could wear them until I needed maternity clothes) so that I could wear them throughout my pregnancy.

I wanted to do it so that I could turn them back into regular jeans later with just a seam ripper and/or some scissors. So, I covered the zipper area with black stretchy fabric.

For the most part, it worked. It took some trying on and trying on again to make sure they didn't stretch too much, weren't too bulky, etc. The hardest part was trying to cover up the button and make the top part lie smooth. Apparently, when you keep the zipper splayed open, either side of the zipper points straight upward. Sooo... that means it's tough to cover them, and, in the end, I wasn't able to.

I'm wearing them now, and I'll admit the bumpiness around the button and buttonhole area bothers me, but not so badly that I can't wear them. The big benefit of this is that I can wear them with a belt, so while these would probably fall down and my maternity jeans are definitely falling down, I can wear a belt to keep these babies up. As long as I don't accidentally fasten it too tight, which I already experienced earlier today.

Big con? The zipper goes pretty much all the way to the crotch. So the top I'm wearing needs to go down about that far too. Works great now when maternity shirts are still hanging low. Not so great later in the pregnancy when they are up higher because they are tight against my belly. Guess then I won't be able to wear the pants or I'll have to wear a dress over them or something.

What a learning experience. If you want a true fashion challenge, try dressing a pregnant woman. Better yet, try making or altering clothes for a pregnant woman. It is not as easy as you would think!

All the new maternity clothes I've bought! Great deals!

2009-10-12T15:48:00.005-04:00

So apparently I love the brands Babystyle and Michael Stars Maternity, because that's what I've been buying tons of lately!

First, I went on Ebay.com and found a motherload of fabulous designer maternity clothes! I found two Michael Stars maternity shirts for ~$15 each, which normally retail for $50+! So awesome! They are also brand new without tags, so I think this is a total score:

I also found another retailer who sold lots of fabulous NICE, New with and without tags maternity clothes. I found this Babystyle hoodie (normally $78):

This Molly New York maternity dress/tunic top (normally $168):

And, my absolute favorite (I was looking for one of these for forever, but figured I couldn't afford it, so I'm knitting my own. But then I found this and was like, heck yeah I'll get it!), a Babystyle CASHMERE sweater (original price $198) for ~$30! Looks really nice too, with beading at the neckline. Can't wait to wear this a ton!

Then, I went to a second-hand maternity clothing sale near my house and found another Michael Stars top, looks similar to the one below, only in a denim blue color for $22.

And, I found a dress by Babystyle (not on purpose, I swear!) for only $9! It looks similar to this one. It's a basic black, sleeveless dress that fits me perfectly! It will be great for all occasions--work, casual, and fancy that I might need to go to!

All I have left to get are some basic black and white long sleeved and sleeveless shirts and my shopping will be complete!

Looking good while pregnant....

2009-10-12T15:07:00.002-04:00

Wow, is that a tough thing to do. It seems like I have great, cute clothes that I wear, but because I'm not quite to maternity tops yet (they are a bit big and everything else is a bit small, but fits better than maternity tops), I feel like I end up just looking really chubby around my middle!

Plus there's the whole terrible acne thing. And, I feel too tired in the morning to do anything interesting to my hair or do my makeup. Any ideas on how I can spruce myself up without too much work? I know that wearing clothes that are flattering colors close to my face will help brighten me up. And, I know that wearing maternity tops will help also, but I'm just not quite there yet. The one thing I do seem to have down is my fashion sense (and of course, fabulous shoes). I am managing to dress great, when I don't look like a chubby lady trying to dress in thin lady's clothing...

Any and all tips are appreciated.

Tutorial: How to Convert / Alter / Make Your Own Maternity Coat for Winter Pregnancy (even if you can't sew!)

2009-09-30T14:29:00.006-04:00

So, I stumbled upon this interesting knitting pattern for a maternity sweater and, as I'll be pregnant during winter time, it got me thinking about how to make my own maternity coat or at least use my existing one, without having to spend $80+ on a new one for just a few months.

Here's how. I am including a sewing method, that includes a lining and a no-sew method.

First, let's look at the design for the sweater pattern that could be "converted" to a regular sweater later. Here is a picture, which will help you visualize:

Basically, it is just a regular button-down sweater where you add a button-down panel in the middle of your belly. One side of the panel had button holes to attach to the buttons on the sweater, and the other side had buttons to attach to the sweater's button holes.

Using the same idea:

1. Create a middle panel. It can be the width of your belly all the way down (which might be a bit bulky at the top, but would still work), or it can gradually expand from the top. So, either cut out a rectangle, or a triangle. For the triangle, you'll want it wide enough at the top to accommodate the buttons and button holes (I would say about 4" maybe more if your bust has grown significantly) and let it expand for the length of the coat you are expanding. The knitting pattern expands evenly all the way down to 24"-27.25" for sizes S-XL.

2. Sewing Method:
a. When cutting your triangle or rectangle, cut 2 pieces: one thin for the lining and one thicker for the outside. If you want, you can add an underlining or interlining for strength and warmth.
b. Be sure to add at least 1/2 inch for a seam allowance.
c. Sew the lining and outside right sides together, leaving a 4" space for turning.
d. Turn inside out and hand sew turn opening.
e. Press.
f. Add buttons and buttonholes in line with coat you are expanding.

2. No-Sew Method: Use micro fleece for your fabric (made of polyester, not the fleece you would use for sweatsuits). You can easily obtain this from Joann Fabrics or any fabric store. It's the same fabric used to make no-sew blankets or fleece coats and jackets. The thickness is up to you, but use a thicker kind for more warmth. Fleece does not unravel which means you can just cut it without having to finish the edges and buttonholes--all you do is cut.
a. Cut your fabric according to the directions in Step #1. Do not add seam allowances (you aren't sewing, so you don't need them!)
b. On one side, sew on buttons the approximate size of your coat's buttons at the placement of your existing coat's buttonholes. Sorry, this does involve sewing, but I can't think of a good way to put a button on without sewing. If you can't sew on a button, chances are a close friend or relative can probably show you how or do it for you. Or, you can find online instructions here.
c. On the other side, cut the fabric slightly smaller than the buttons on your coat to make a buttonhole. You don't need to do any other finishing, unless you want to.

3. Attach the panel to your existing coat and viola! It fits!

Tips: If the buttons are pretty big and seem like they are going to pop off your panel or if your existing coat has a big button on one side and a little button on the other side, you might want to add a smaller button on the wrong side of the panel underneath your other button (you would sew these 2 buttons together through the fabric), just for strength.

Happy money-saving!!

Loehman's clearance center in Milpitas has rendered me speechless!

2009-09-28T18:21:00.002-04:00

OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG.

Unlike anything I've ever seen before. This coming from bargain basement extraordinare. Everything there? On clearance. That colorful sticker you see? Additional money off--like usually between 40% and 80%. Designer jeans--tons of them--for $15-40 a pair. Originally $200+. Handbags originally $500--for like $100! Silk-lined leather gloves originally $100 for $15. Sunglasses originally $280 for $24. I've never been more impressed with a store. Ever.

DO NOT MISS IT if you are in the SF Bay Area! Worth the drive if you love designer stuff!

A Lovely Maternity Coat

2009-09-28T15:19:00.002-04:00

If I haven't ranted about it yet, you knew it was coming soon--the ever present complaint about the lack of cute, fashionable maternity clothes. I'm very rapidly outgrowing most of my regular clothes. Even clothes I thought would fit no longer do because of my larger bra size.

So, I have been trying and trying with minimal luck at finding maternity patterns. Sure didn't find anything great. Then, I remembered I had a stash of Burda magazines (the kind that contains patterns) at home and found one that had some maternity patterns in it! While the styles in there weren't exactly fashionable, they were very classic and one pattern I was thrilled to find, was a coat pattern.

It is actually a jacket pattern, but I think I can make it out of thin enough coat material for it to work. Plus, I can line it a bit to make it warmer for my trip to Indiana at Christmas. Here is the inspiration I'm drawing from in making it. I'm hoping to make it in a soft, green coating material, underlined with silk organza, interlined with wool jersey, and lined with cotton (what the pattern calls for). I may end up lining it with something smoother due to all the bulk it could potentially have.

Just look at these lovely coats for fall 2010. Hopefully I can make it look like a maternity version of these:

Ahh... Chanel...

Burberry: always a classic!

Fashion Challenged

2009-09-24T15:19:00.002-04:00

Well, if there's one thing I can say for sure that's been said thousands of times before me, "It is hard to be fashionable when pregnant."

I felt it from the moment I bloated to 5 lbs heavier at 4 weeks and could barely fit into anything cute, much less anything maternity...

Fashion certainly holds less relevant to me right now. All I want to do is find something that fits. After that, I can start to think about cute and fashionable.

I've already spent about $300 on new bras (I went up 2-3 sizes), 2 pairs of maternity jeans, 2 pairs of maternity pants, 1 maternity top, and 2 sweaters and I still need basic shirts, a dress, and a coat (much less undies and duplicates of what I already have). I'm running out of funds to get these other things, especially the coat, which will be very expensive. I've already made myself 3 stretchy skirts that fit me, and I'll probably make one more.

So I'll be trying to make myself some basic shirts. And, maybe, a dress and, if possible, a coat.

I finally found a tutorial online for altering an existing pattern, but, let's face it, I can only make so many shirts with the same exact design, plus I'll need a way to make a cute dress and/or coat. So, what then? Make my own? Nope, I need a pattern. HA! That's hilarious! There are almost NO maternity patterns out there. The only ones I found marginally interesting were from YEARS ago and the styles are really out of date. I can't even imagine how I'm supposed to alter them to make them socially relevant.

Here are the ones I found that were remotely interesting. This is after checking the websites of Burda, Simplicity, McCalls, Butterick, Vogue (who have none), and more. Plus, I checked Ebay and Googled for vintage and out of print patterns. HA! Good luck to me...
Burda 8378 - but they only have 2 styles of shirt and the pants are hideous
Burda 8377 - dress is cute, but it's for summer (this is a typical problem--all maternity patterns are for summer) and it's out of date...
Simplicity 5756 - Decent tops and dresses, but so out of style. And I would never ever make the pants.
Burda 7800 - this is the cutest one I found overall, but unfortunately is so complicated I wouldn't finish it before I had the baby...

So, I guess I'm fashion challenged for now. At least I look good in my maternity skinny jeans and the remaining non-maternity tops that still fit me! I can maintain some style for now. :-)

How to tell if your mineral makeup is really made of minerals...

2009-09-23T13:08:00.002-04:00

Got this in an email too. I'm going to try it out sometime this week. Don't worry, I'll be posting a LOT of pics of my latest knitting designs up here soon. I've been busy with work, being tired a lot and kind of sick, class, and knitting in all my free time. Should be getting stuff up fairly soon, though.

Every beauty buff would agree: the search to find makeup that doesn’t clog pores and just works with the skin is never ending. Mineral makeup, a somewhat new addition to the beauty market, has become increasingly popular over the past few years as it can be used for all skin types, has fewer added chemicals and allows the skin to breathe. But, beware – is every brand of mineral makeup really true mineral makeup?

Camille Meyer, Founder of Color by Camille Mineral Makeup, a mineral-based makeup line infused with enriching ingredients to create a smooth and polished look, sold exclusively at TriBeCa MedSpa, gives you a step-by-step test on how you can determine if your mineral makeup is really a true mineral makeup.

“Brush Up” on Ways to Reveal True Mineral Makeup

Scrape ¼ tablespoon of powder mix into ½ cup of water
Mix blend for 5-10 seconds
The powder mix should float on top of the water
If blend mixes with water and transforms into a milky substance or the powder sinks to the bottom – your powder mix is not true mineral makeup
Finally, insert your finger into the water – if the powder mix on your finger goes from “gooey” to “powdery” when rubbing fingers together, you’ve found a true mineral makeup

Got this in email today: Gifts for expecting or new moms

2009-09-23T13:06:00.002-04:00

Got this in an email today and thought it was interesting. Thought I'd pass it on to you. Yes, it's because I'm too lazy to come up with my own stuff right now. Enjoy!

An all too familiar scene: it’s the holidays and the stores are overflowing with shoppers. Every year, we begin our quest to find the perfect gift for that special someone in our lives. And with so many loved ones on your shopping list, finding that perfect and affordable gift can become a tireless feat, especially when you’re shopping for moms. So, what does mom want for the holidays? Well, she wants all that stress that she has amassed through the year to just melt away. She wants to be pampered. This holiday season, don’t fall back on impersonal gift cards - give the gift that keeps giving even after the holidays are over.

Belli, the world’s safest skincare line available to address the specific issues of pregnant women, new moms and babies, has released their holiday gift sets for moms-to-be, new moms and babies. Belli’s holiday gift sets remind us all to take a little time for ourselves and to care for others. Including some of their best and popular products, each set gives busy moms, mothers-to-be and babies a medley of safe and effective products to enjoy all year round.

For the New Mom - Belli’s Motherhood Essentials Kit

Motherhood Essentials Kit has everything you need to restore and reclaim your body. Four hero products formulated with proven ingredients that quickly deliver results. Includes: Pure Comfort Nursing Cream, Eye Brightening Cream, Body Firming Serum and Moisturizing Hand Sanitizer.

For the Expecting Mom - Belli’s Pregnancy Pampering Collection

Experience total pampering for your body and mind with Belli Pregnancy Pampering Collection. As you indulge and soothe your skin with your four favorite pregnancy products, you will not only be protecting your body but also your baby’s. Includes: Pampered Pregnancy Body Wash 4 oz, All Day Moisture Body Lotion 4 oz., Elasticity Belly Oil 2 oz. and Skin Smoothing Body Exfolaitor.

For the Newest Addition to the Family - Belli’s Bundle of Joy Gift Set

The Baby Gift Set contains the purest and most gentle ingredients that effectively soothe babies’ skin. Every product in the set is allergy tested and free of artificial dyes, parabens, fragrances, phthalates, and other xenoestrogens. Includes:“Calm Me” Hair & Body Wash, “Nourish Me” Enriched Body Lotion, “Pamper Me” Talc-Free Powder, “Protect Me” Diaper Rash Cream.

For more information about Belli and their products, please visit www.belliskincare.com.

About Belli (www.belliskincare.com)

Founded by Jason Rubin MD and Annette Rubin in 2002, Belli offers a total wellness approach by offering products that feature the pampering benefits of aromatherapy and massage therapy with the heightened screening of a medical company. Belli products are sold at national retailers including Pottery Barn Kids, Mother Works, baby/maternity boutiques, fine spas, and a growing number of physician offices. The entire line can be found on belliskincare.com, along with helpful educational articles that teach women about the skin care concerns of pregnancy, motherhood, and infancy.

Fall 2009 Fashion Fun!

2009-08-31T15:13:00.003-04:00

So, I would have started off this post saying that fashion was alienating me, except that it turns out it's not. But I do have some strong words about it this season.

First, There was an article about Tim Gunn in Parade magazine this Sunday (the one where he looks like a wax figure because of all the airbrushing). There was a quote from Chloe Dal, winner of season 2, saying how outrageous fashion has become and it's important to stick to what looks good on you and what you know.

Immediately, I go to my Elle September 2009 issue and discover that sure enough, she was right. Excess, excess everywhere: enormous platform shoes, weird shoulder giant-ness, super shiny clothing and accessories are all back in:

But, then, I saw some stuff I liked, like the lovely dresses, 40's styles, and (yes I'll admit it) over-the-knee boots. And it wasn't overly shiny or huge. And I started to think, okay, I can get into this. What's more, in years past I felt like the magazines were screaming to me, "buy, buy, buy!" Now, since the economy has gone a bit downhill, the prices seem a little lower and there's more emphasis on buying key pieces in the magazine, which I appreciate. I always hated feeling like I needed to buy 50 things to be fashionable for the next season. And, maybe I'm starting to get a bit older and being more true to myself.

I don't particularly love the giant shoulder thing, but here's a way I saw it done in a magazine that seems way more wearable. I know it's bad form to see an ad and immediately want what you see, but I actually really like this jacket from Bebe:

And being fashion challenged due to pregnancy, I still think I can pull off a lovely 60's coat and some boots over jeans. We will see!

So the reason the posts have been slow...

2009-08-19T18:21:00.002-04:00

...is that I'm pregnant! EEK! Well, that and I've been working nonstop.

Don't worry, I won't burden you will baby stuff. For that I started a new blog here.

But, you can understand that when I can no longer shop for things that don't have a belly and find it somewhat challenging to wear heels and have to work all the time (in an office devoid of style), it gets difficult to keep up with fashion. I promise, though, I won't neglect the blog! In fact, I just got my new Elle earlier this week and I am LOVING the fall fashion (my favorite)!

Store Review: Gucci Outlet in Vacaville

2009-08-10T16:49:00.003-04:00

Stars: 0/5

Yep. It was THAT bad. Initially, I was so excited. A Gucci outlet! Within 1.5 hours drive of my house! The first ever! Hooray!

But, it was too good to be true. WAY too good to be true. First, I had to battle horrendous traffic to get to the outlets, so when I got there, I was in a foul, foul mood. Normally, a trip to the nearest badass designer discount store cheers me up. Until I'm forced to wait in line for 20 minutes just to enter the store. That's right. 20 minutes. And all I want to do is look. I've waited in line for stores before. The Coach outlet day after Thanksgiving is a good example. But, in that case, the store was so crowded you couldn't have physically fit more people in it. Here, there were maybe 25 people in a store that could have crammed 100 in there. And the security gaurd acted more like a doorman, saying, "I can let you 3 in, but not you 2." It was outrageous.

So, I finally, FINALLY get in and take a look around. First, the handbags. Not really discounted. Some weren't discounted at all. It was just Gucci regular price. Some were maybe 20% off. Granted, rare for Gucci, but still! It's an outlet! Overall, there was almost nothing remotely affordable (and I mean, again, under $500). Not even a wallet. Not even the clothing. Maybe a shirt for $200, but okay, are you seriously going to buy a plain Gucci shirt for that much money? People won't even know it's Gucci! If you can afford Gucci, you wouldn't shop in an outlet and if you usually shop in an outlet, you wouldn't buy stuff here. At least you shouldn't.

Again, I'll reiterate. Shop elsewhere. Loehmann's, TJ Maxx, or even Jeremy's has great designer stuff and for the $1800 you could spend on a handbag here, spend it on 10 fabulous handbags by someone with better quality and a lesser-known name. Or, buy Gucci at Jeremy's for under $1000. Come on, people!

Sale Review: The Barney's Sale

2009-08-10T16:28:00.003-04:00

Stars: 1 out of 5

Yep. This sale was disappointing. I mean, yeah, it was cool. They had designer stuff and it was cheaper (not the "-er" on the end of the "cheap"), but overall, I wouldn't spend my money here. I'd be wasting it, after all.

First, you have to trek pretty far to get to the warehouse. And, once you finally arrived they reprimand you for trying to walk in the front (which would make sense) and direct you to the "public entrance" on the right side of the building. So you walk a few more thousand miles (it feels like) to the side and you finally get in.

There were racks and racks of coats, dresses, shirts, pants, shorts, skirts, menswear, womenswear, home stuff, and shoes. It wasn't too crowded when I went (11 am on Saturday).

Clothes were organized by size range, but the selection of clothes was just meh. Pretty okay, I guess, but I wasn't really feeling anything. I suppose you could find one or two nice items there buried.

The shoe selection was abysmal! Sure, they had Loubitons, Chanel, Prada, Manolo, blah blah blah, but almost nothing cute! And, when they had something great--I found a pair of YSL Tribute boots (OMG!), there was only one in the size and it was NOT very discounted (think $1200 from $1800, puh-lease. I can probably get them on ebay for cheaper than that). Not to mention that they looked pre-worn from all the action they've probably seen in the store and at sales. Yick. For only a 30% discount, I would expect better quality.

The home stuff and handbags were a total joke. Awful, awful ugly crap. Why anyone would buy it, not to mention for several hundred dollars, is beyond me. The few handbags that seemed both cute and "affordable" and I mean below $500 affordable, were Barney's co-op brand. I am NOT paying $450 for a co-op handbag that is so friggin' heavy I won't be able to put anything in it! That won't fetch me anything in resale value. Sheesh. At Loehman's or TJ Maxx I could get some serious bling for that kind of money. I won't waste it at this sale.

They get one star for trying. Sure, it's definitely cheaper than retail. But, when retail is marked up 10 to 100 times more than it should be, they could definitely go cheaper than 30% off or even 60% off. And, by the way, I never saw the 60% off stuff. I don't really believe it was there. And, if it was, it was probably damaged. Go to Jeremys, Loehmann's, TJ Maxx, or even Neiman Marcus last call! At least at NMLC you can get an additional discount with the store card, too!

Unexpected DIY Community: Phish (and other hippy) Concerts

2009-08-05T18:18:00.005-04:00

Many moons ago, before I knew that DIY existed as a community, I found a "craft fair" of sorts at Phish concerts.

Now, honestly, I'm not a fan of Phish. I find their music somewhat annoying outside of concerts unless I'm dressed in hippy clothes and in college and too stoned or drunk to really notice the music in the background. They also work for camping. But, I digress...

Husband is a huge fan and, as a result, I've been to several shows. And my favorite part is Shakedown Street. The name came from a Grateful Dead song, although I'm not totally sure how it came to be what it is today. You can find some version of "Shakedown Streets" at just about any hippy show you can think of: Oysterhead, The Dead, Phish, Widespread Panic, Moe, String Cheese Incident, and probably lots more. Basically, it's just a big fat DIY fair. People are selling all manner of handmade goods: original screen-printed T-shirts; handpainted T-shirts; blown glass beads, pipes, and *cough* water pipes; jewelry--both the hemp hippy kind and the normal (and often gorgeous!) kind; handmade clothes; and more.

Of course, there's also DIY brownies, carmels, and other baked goods with "secret" ingredients and some other delicious food free of secrets. But best of all, it's always CHEAP! Because the hippies want to stick it to the man. They just need to make enough money to get to the next show, Man!

So, I'm going to the show tonight in Mountain View. I'll scope it out for you and let you know if I get anything good while I'm there. :-)

PC: Brian J. Craig on Flickr

OMG! OMG! BARNEY'S WAREHOUSE SALE!!!

2009-08-01T11:57:00.003-04:00

LOOK! ACK! I can hardly contain myself for all the potential good deals I'm going to get. Barneys New York has a traveling warehouse sale that is coming to San Francisco this weekend! WAHOO!!! I'm am going to do my DARNDEST to get up there this weekend (along with also trying to score some rad deals at the Vacaville outlets new GUCCI outlet! And the Burberry outlet. My husband (and my pocketbook) might be a little less joyful after this weekend, but I'm going to have some bitchin' new stuff! YAY!

More info on the sale here.

PC: Barneys NY

Been burned out...

2009-07-27T13:23:00.004-04:00

After being worked to death, then going to Europe, then having oodles of house guests this summer, I have definitely been burned out and lacking in inspiration. I've basically stopped caring about fashion and only sewed a few items: a shirt for my husband that was WAY too big (that I stopped working on), a failed attempt at trying to make drop-crotch pants, and the occasional mending/alteration job. And, while I'm still knitting, I'm not at all feeling that interested in it...

Being the enthusiastic creative person I am, it is weird to me to have a moment where I'm not really motivated to do anything. It's bizarre to me that my interest in fashion could ever wane and I've been wearing jeans and T-shirt combos almost daily--and not in a creative way. Part of the problem is I haven't bought new clothes in awhile. There have been time constraints (and size constraints) and I consistently rationalize that I shouldn't buy anything I couldn't make myself (which is getting to be a lot). Plus, I have way too many clothes in my closet and I need to wear them!

Usually that attitude makes me more creative and inspired to create and put together new outfits, but not lately. Lately, I've just been sitting around the house thinking, "I could be sewing but I'm too tired. I guess I'll work on knitting this scarf that I don't really care about..." and I do, but I don't really enjoy it. Part of it is I forgot how LONG it takes to knit a darn scarf and maybe I don't like the yarn. Either way, I've been trying to find new ways to get inspired.

Last week I met with a group of women at a quilting store to meet a member of the Burdastyle sewing club of Mountain View that I am the founder of. And I very much enjoyed sewing my project. Then, when I got home, I didn't bother sewing at all to complete it.

But, I think now I'm feeling the burnout slowly melt away and my interest beginning to return. I am starting to feel a little more excited about putting together some new, cute outfits and I have a couple sewing projects lined up that I'm determined to do. They should be quick and use up some of my stash, both of which I find inspiring. And, I'm about to finish that darned scarf, after which I plan to finish up some old projects and start a new children's sweater I had an idea for (new pattern, I hope!).

At any rate, I'll post my motivation updates here and now you know why I haven't been posting so much fashion lately. But hopefully, I will be back in the swing of things very soon! :-)